Dean Northfield

Senior Lecturer

Health, Education, Policing and Sciences

I worked as a VIPER Officer (2 Years) and then an Imaging Officer (6 years) for West Yorkshire Police, eventually progressing to Senior Imaging Officer. I finished my time at the force within the Forensic Multimedia Unit.

I began working part time for the university in 2011 and joined the university as a full time lecturer and HEIF Project Lead in 2012.

I have many years of real world and case experience having been involved in a number of interesting and high profile cases, including Op Paris (Kidnap Shannon Mathews), Op Pinstripe (Bradford Crossbow Cannibal). I have also worked for external agencies, such as SOCA (Serious and Organised Crime Agency) and on large scale drug importations (Operation Chaplin and Operation Dearly), among many others.

Expertise

  • Crime Scene Attendance for the acquisition of photography / video / reconstruction

  • Video / Stills Surveillance

  • Evidence gathering for public order

  • Image Enhancement

  • Video Editing

  • EPE (Electronic presentation of evidence)

  • Forensic Multimedia

for Career Prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2025

for Social Inclusion

The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026

for First Generation Students

The Mail University Guide 2026

in the UK for Games Education

Rookies Games Design and Development 2023, 2025 & TIGA Best Games Intuition 2024, 2025

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021