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| Police and Crime Commissioner for Northamptonshire Police, Adam Simmonds. Image: Local Government Available here. |
Northamptonshire Police's budget for the 2015/16 period was unveiled yesterday by the Police and Crime Commissioner Adam Simmonds.
Despite an 'extremely challenging financial climate', the budget aims to protect the 1,220 police officers serving in Northamptonshire.
Northamptonshire Police needs to save £23 million by 2018, but remains one of the only forces in England and Wales to not have reduced policing numbers since Simmonds took office in late 2012.
37-year-old Simmonds said: “Fundamentally, policing needs to change. I want to support the creation of the brightest and best police force in the country, and this requires a radical transformation programme.
"This covers many things, including new technologies, rethinking the police estate and ways of working, and becoming more pro-active in preventing crime by working locally with communities.
"This budget reflects serious investment in positive change for our local police service. The biggest investment in change in a generation.”
Simmonds also revealed that increasing the number of frontline PC's is of key importance for the force.
A continued drive to recruit more Special Constables was another priority with-in the budget. Special constables donated more than 100,000 hours of policing in Northamptonshire during 2014.
Northamptonshire Police now has more Special Constables per head of the population, than any other force in the country.
Simmonds said: “In terms of visibility, the OPCC has listened to the public and responded to an overwhelming desire to ensure police visibility across communities remains a key priority.
“And building on that strong foundation of police visibility, this budget will continue our investment in the biggest expansion of the Special Constabulary anywhere in the country as well as a further expansion of parish constables, delivering a dedicated policing presence in local communities.”
Significant investment plans for child protection have been included in Simmonds' budget, he said: “There is an urgent and pressing need to increase protection of children across our county, not just those in the care of the State but in everyday homes across Northamptonshire.
"Whether it be through online activity, social media, mobile phones and gaming our children are increasingly at risk.
"I am passionate that those who prey on children will be caught and dealt with and our services across all agencies to those at risk of exploitation are strengthened.
“By rigorous management of budget and driving efficiencies in other programmes, I intend to identify considerable further reinvestment, up to £1m, to further strengthen our services to protect children and other vulnerable people.”
Chief Constable Adrian Lee said: “We are improving the services we provide and managing the financial challenge while protecting frontline services.
"The Force fully supports the strategy set out by Mr Simmonds, we are proud of our work with the Fire Service, the focus on the Special Constabulary and our willingness to transform.
“It gives me great confidence that the strategy can be delivered in challenging times. My thanks to all members of the force and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for their hard work and commitment."
By Jordan Lyons
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