New roads policing team in Northamptonshire makes more than 80 arrests in first two months

A new roads policing team in Northamptonshire has made more than 80 arrests in its first two months of operation.

Northamptonshire Police’s newly formed Roads Policing Team (RPT) launched earlier this year to tackle crime on the county’s roads and improve safety.

Between February 6 and April 6, the team has completed 967 vehicle interactions with drivers and made 88 arrests, with a minimum of 72 percent visibility, meaning officers have been actively policing on the roads for at least 72 percent of their time, with the remaining time was spent conducting investigations, preparing prosecution files, and dealing with prisoners in custody.

The team has also conducted 65 vehicle searches and seized 188 vehicles.

Speaking ahead of the team’s official launch on Wednesday May 3, Chief Constable Nick Adderley said: “In 2022 I made a commitment to improve road safety in Northamptonshire and this new team will now transform our roads policing capabilities.

“Addressing the dangers that exist on the roads, the RPT has already started delivering results.

“Casualties on our roads remains a problem and by addressing the dangers that exist we aim to see a sustainable reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured in collisions.

“Education, engagement and where necessary, enforcement will be used to make the roads a safer place for all users.

“The work of the RPT is also crucial to the disruption of serious organised crime groups who blatantly use our open road networks to commit their criminal activity. The RPT will work to detect, disrupt, and dismantle these groups.”

Thanks to funding from the Office of the Police Fire and Crime Commissioner, the RPT consists of five teams each containing one sergeant and eight police constables. The teams have a state-of-the-art fleet of vehicles and drones, and Automatic Number Plate Recognition capability.

They work a 24-hour shift pattern all year round, providing comprehensive, road cover for the county for the first time in more than a decade.

Detective Chief Inspector Shelley Nichols, who leads the team, added: “This team will target criminals that use the Northamptonshire roads network to commit offences, disrupting and prosecuting those responsible.

“Officers will have a mix of high spec marked and unmarked cars, and bikes, to conduct intelligence-led patrols and will be tasked using analytical data. They will have access to the latest technology to deliver swift results.

“They are trained to advanced driving standards, tactical pursuits, and containment (TPAC), specialist traffic law, including HGVs, prohibition of vehicles and the carriage of dangerous goods.

“The RPT will be the first point of call for road incidents, providing a specialist resource, allowing neighbourhood and response officers to be freed up to deal with other priorities affecting our communities.”

The force says road’s policing has a critical role to play in reducing casualties, improving driver and rider behaviour as well as targeting and disrupting serious organised crime committed using the county’s road networks.

A key part of the work carried out by the RPT will focus on the fatal five – not wearing a seatbelt, using a mobile device, being under the influence of drink or drugs, careless driving or excess speeds.