PW_1_2026

75th Anniversary

Meeting Project Servator

Blue Walk 75 - York By Chris Charlton , Scarborough Branch secretary Tariq Jadoon, IPA member and Secretary of Sindh Region-5, Section Pakistan and his colleague Salikh (Sunny) Khan joined local members Judith Smith and Chris Charlton from Scarborough Branch and Section UK IPA Walking Group along with friend and supporter Geoff Milner on a Blue Walk 75 around the glorious

city of York on Wednesday 26thNovember 2025. I t was cold and breezy and unfortunately the City Walls were closed due to earlier inclement weather but the group met at Monk Bar, as planned, and began their 10Km tour of the city keeping to street level. The route passed four of the Bars (Gates) around the city, alongside the River Foss and the River Ouse , along The Shambles and around York Minster, as well as many other tourist areas. Meeting York Minster Police Officer (Sam), who we found patrolling in Minster Yard, was a bonus which provided a great photo and also an opportunity for Tariq and Sunny to exchange a few pleasantries. It also provided us with an opportunity to do some recruiting! In St Helen’s Square in the heart of the City Centre, we encountered a number of officers from West Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Police who were engaged in Project Servator, part of national policing operation designed to disrupt criminal activity, including terrorism, while also providing reassurance to members of the public. More photos and exchanges between Tariq, Sunny and the uniform officers to discuss policing similarities and differences in the two countries and for us to try a bit more recruiting.

We stopped for a break in a Starbucks for coffee where we had an exchange of gifts. Our day ended at Casa Brazilian Rodizio, a restaurant that was able to cater to dietary and cultural needs. On Thursday 27th November, Tariq returned to York where he was met by David Hunter at York Police Station. David, Chair of Region 3 and York Branch is a serving Chief Inspector at York. Tariq was given, what he subsequently described as an exceptional official visit, a tour of York Police Station which included Response, Force Control, Custody, Fingerprint and DNA, IT, CID, Forensics and Evidence Rooms where he met several officers and was able to exchange professional and cultural issues throughout the tour. It was a great couple of days for all concerned. The experiences provided plenty of discussion and a recognition, should we have needed it, that the IPA is not just a fantastic organisation, but also a global family.

In The Shambles

12

POLICE WORLD Vol 71 No.1, 2026