York and Selby policeman, PC Dave White, retires after 27 years

PC Dave White joined North Yorkshire Police back in 1995 where he primarily covered the west side of York.

He had previously been a shipbuilder at Cochrane's Shipyard in Selby until 1992 when it closed down and he decided to re-train and join the police.

Dave started his career as a response officer but within a couple of years decided to specialise in Neighbourhood Policing which is one of his passions in life. 

While in York he worked with the Safer York Hub and when he moved to the Selby force area in 2007 he continued to work with the Safer Selby Hub there.

Dave was brought up in Selby having moved to the town as a seven-year-old child from the Isle of Wight with his late father, Gordon, step-mum Maureen, and older brother Barry. His dad owned GS White and Sons newsagents in Selby for many years. 

He is married to Moira and has two children Matthew and Krissie.  Matthew lives and works in Switzerland as a translator and Krissie has followed in her father’s footsteps joining North Yorkshire Police in 2010 after university.  She is married to a third generation police officer and works alongside Dave in neighbourhood policing. 

Now aged 64, Dave has had a highly decorated career, having been awarded a Police Commendation for dealing with a dangerous man. He has also represented North Yorkshire Police for Community Police Officer of the year Award in London in 2000, 2002 and 2006 - an award which is a direct result of members of the public sending letters of recognition for the work of Police Officers in their area.

Last year he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for 2021 for North Yorkshire.

PC Dave White after being named the North Yorkshire Police community officer of the year at the Merchant Adventurers' Hall in York

Throughout his career Dave has worked with schools both in York and Selby delivering presentations to children becoming affectionately known just as 'PC Dave'. 

His wife, Moira recalls: "He worked with another PC to devise an initiative called Cop Swap.  Dave characterised each Community Police Officer on a card, giving them strengths and powers and his colleague Carl, a keen amateur artist, drew caricature pictures of each.  On the back of each card was a police message for children.

"The initiative was to encourage young children to engage with the police as well as getting over messages of safety for children.

"This was extremely popular and every time police went into school children were asking for the cards but they had to repeat a message on one of the cards they already had."  

Another initiative Dave embarked on with his then York based team of Community Support Officers to engage children organised a talent contest which took place at York Opera House and the late BBC TV presenter Harry Gration gave up his time to host it on behalf of the York and Selby Police force. Various sponsors gave prizes for the children and the evening was a success with children for York and Selby Schools taking part.

When a spate of burglaries happened in York, Dave was responsible for installing cameras in houses in an attempt to catch and thwart would-be burglars.  Similarly when equipment from allotments went missing he worked with the allotment holders to devise a method for marking equipment.

Residents of City Mills in Skeldergate, York, celebrate the installation of CCTV at their residential home, with PC Dave White

Currently Dave is based at the hub in Selby where officers work alongside Selby District Council and works closely with the probation service and North Yorkshire County Council.

Dave and Moira have two grandchildren six-year-old Isabella and George, three, and following retirement Dave will be looking to spending more time with them as well as his one-year-old puppy, Gio.  Dave also has a passion for gardening and once these are all exhausted will probably look toward doing something in the community where he can use his skills.

PC Dave White's three-year-old grandson wearing his mummy, Krissie Magnay's police uniform