This is not job done! Northamptonshire Police chief vows to carry on improvements two years on from damning report

Inspectors salute changes made since branding county force "inadequate" in 2019
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Northampton's Chief Constable says it is "by no means job done" after inspectors recognised improvements in the county's police force since a damning report was published in 2019.

HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoe Billingham branded it "inadequate" at operating efficiently and investigating crime and said the force required improvement in effectiveness of reducing crime and how it treated staff and the public.

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She also warned the force was "really struggling" because of decade of under-funding, adding "Without a significant cash injection this force is going to continue to struggle."

Chief Constable Nick AdderleyChief Constable Nick Adderley
Chief Constable Nick Adderley

But the Force revealed it has been told by the HMICS office it recognises improvements have been made

Chief Constable Nick Adderley said: “While this is good news for the Force and the county, now is not the time for complacency.

"We have much more to do to continue to improve and to reach the standard that both I and our force desire.

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The plans and developments I have in train will see that continuous improvement over the coming months and years and I know the public will continue to support that work, along with our partners.

“This is by no means job done. It is a milestone in our ambition and one that solidifies the platform for the continuous improvements of the services we provide.”

Mr Adderley, who replaced Simon Edens in August 2018, added: "I embarked upon a radical and transformative approach to the way policing services are delivered across the county, one which puts the community and victims of crime at the heart of all that we do.

“I am delighted that HMICFRS has recognised the improvements we have made and for their endorsement of the changes applied in order to better investigate crime, protect vulnerable people and better understand our demand.

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“None of this would be possible without the work, tenacity and ambition of the men and women who work for Northamptonshire Police, who come to work every day to help others. I am incredibly proud of them and of the Force we represent."

Mr Adderley has worked alongside Northamptonshire's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Stephen Mold, to streamline back-office functions and focus funding on front-line policing.

This has allowed investments in ANPR and CCTV cameras, a new Police Interceptor team to tackle road crime, and a massive recruitment drive.

The Force is currently on target to have 1,500 police officers — the most ever — in its ranks by 2023 with a doubling of local bobbies on the beat in neighbourhoods across the county.

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That has translated into 1,338 fewer victims of crime over the last two years.

New processes in dealing with victims of crime saw satisfaction levels skyrocket to 91 per cent in domestic abuse cases and 80 per cent for burglaries.

Mr Mold said: “When I appointed Nick Adderley I asked him to reshape the Force and give it a new direction and focus.

"For the last couple of years, it has been clear to me that Northamptonshire Police felt like a Force that was changing significantly, and much for the better.

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"The focus on the crimes that matter to people, on the safety of the vulnerable and on making a difference to victims have been very clear to me through the process by which I hold the Chief Constable to account.

“I have confidence that the investments that have been made in policing in Northamptonshire are giving the Force the tools to do the job, and I thank the Chief and his officers and staff for all the life-changing work that they do every day of the year, and for how they have so clearly moved performance in the right direction."