Police are deploying more ‘spotters’ at football grounds, including at Huddersfield Town, in a project aimed at reducing the high cost of policing matches.

The Force is improving liaison with supporter groups and boosting the use of ‘spotters’ - also known as football intelligence officers - in a pilot scheme involving Town, Bradford City and Leeds United.

There are plans to boost the number of spotters from the 22 currently employed.

The Force said that use of ‘spotters’ - who are in uniform - was to “build rapport and engagement with crowds and in particular those sections who may present risk of disorder or violence, with a view to encouraging responsible and lawful behaviour and better levels of public safety”.

Policing football matches has placed a big burden on police forces, including West Yorkshire. The 2012/13 season bill was £1.6m and the following season was just over £1m.

Police chiefs have complained that it was getting harder to pay for policing matches because of a reduction in the amount contributed by football clubs.

In the 2015/16 season, Leeds United paid £401,000 for policing while Huddersfield Town paid £146,000 and Bradford City £50,000. The Leeds figure represented a drop of nearly half from the previous season.

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The pilot scheme in West Yorkshire means that extra spotters can be deployed at some fixtures, dependent on the match category which is determined by the risk of disorder.

Mark Milsom, assistant chief constable, said: “In recent years, West Yorkshire Police in common with other UK police forces, has been developing our police liaison capability in support of public events, including protest and sporting events.

“We have worked with Professor Clifford Stott who has pioneered research in this area.

“The essence of the approach to build rapport and engagement with crowds and in particular those sections who may present risk of disorder or violence, with a view to encouraging responsible and lawful behaviour and better levels of public safety.

“In addition to improving public safety, there can also be opportunities to deploy fewer police officers allowing them to remain working in their normal neighbourhood and reducing the cost of these events to the public purse.

“The proposal aimed to further develop police liaison work within football matches across West Yorkshire with these goals.

The proposal is on-going throughout the 2016/17 season and therefore the outcomes are not yet known. This includes cost, as differing match profiles mean that the deployment of spotters/police liaison teams is not always required or beneficial.”