Northamptonshire 'on target' to hit record 1,500 police officers by March 2023 despite slowdown in growth

Police commissioner Stephen Mold says the county is on target to have a record 1,500 officers by next year despite a slowdown in growth in 2021.

Home office showed the number of officers in the county overall increased by 36 to 1,408 during the 12 months to December 21 compared to an average of 50-plus in each of the previous four years.

But that came after 118 new recruits paid for by government funding and the county's Police, Crime and Fire Comissioner's office was whittled down by 82 existing officers leaving the service.

The overall 2.6 percent increase was LESS than the average 3.5 percent rise across England and Wales.

A Police Federation survey recently revealed revealed six in ten officers in the county would not recommend the job and 11 percent plan to quit as soon as possible.

County Federation chair Sergeant Sam Dobbs pointed to years of morale-sapping pay freezes leaving some officers living on the breadline.

Mr Mold said: “I am proud that we have been able to invest in policing, both to give the people of the county the visibility and service they want to see and to support police officers as they work to keep us safe in one of the fastest-growing places in the country.

“People across the Force have been working incredibly hard to recruit the officers we need, not just to keep up with retirements and people who leave, but to give Northamptonshire Police more officers than it has ever had.

"I am reassured that recruitment is on target for 2021-22 and that the Force is on track to reach 1,501 officers by March 2023.”

The Federation survey taken in 2021 revealed a whopping 69 percent believes morale low, nearly half of those Northamptonshire officers who answered have money worries, three-quarters say they are worse off financially than five years ago and 14 percent confessed to going without essentials.

Sgt Dobbs said: "The figures on morale are devastating to us all, and I say this as chair in a force where we are well-led and where there is general respect for our leadership.

"A key factor was how the police are treated by the government and by the public. The impact on mental health and well-being cannot be under-estimated."

Chief Constable Nick Adderley last year pledged to double the number of 'bobbies on the beat' through recruitment and creating more neighbourhood teams.

Assistant Chief Officer Paul Bullen revealed officer numbers has increased by just under 250, from 1,170, over the last five years.

He said: “Our vision of a better connected, accessible, visible and contactable police service is becoming a reality.

“We will continue to increase officer numbers in line with expected staff turnover due to retirements, transferees and leavers which are in accordance with previous years.

“Our next recruitment window opens in April and we would encourage anyone interested in a life-changing career to consider applying.

"Our 2019 staff survey, completed by 71 percent of the workforce, showed officers and staff had an overall job satisfaction of 73 percent. With 84 percent showing a sense of loyalty to the organisation.

“As a police service, we are making improvements and innovating in ways we’ve never done before. We are keen to ensure we attract and retain the best and most diverse workforce possible.”