Northamptonshire Police praised but progress needed, inspectors say

Inspectors said they were "satisfied with some aspects" of Northamptonshire Police

A police force has been praised for its progress since a critical report two years ago but still needs to improve, the police inspectorate has said.

A September 2019 report on Northamptonshire Police said inspectors were "worried" about the force.

But the latest report said it "has addressed, or is addressing, most of the problems" in the last inspection.

The force said the report "to some degree reflected the real progress" it had made.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) found the force was adequate in four areas but required improvement in six, including how the force protected vulnerable people and managed offenders.

Northamptonshire Police's Chief Constable, Nick Adderley, said some of the improvements made since 2019 were "remarkable"

HM Inspector of Constabulary Roy Wilsher said: "I am satisfied with some aspects of the performance of Northamptonshire Police, but there are areas where the force needs to improve."

He said the force had "embarked on a major change programme" since the 2019 report, was recruiting more detectives and investing in neighbourhood policing.

Inspectors praised Northamptonshire Police's approach to neighbourhood policing

But Mr Wilsher said the force "needs to get better at co-ordinating its community engagement and public scrutiny work" and do more to "identify and support repeat victims".

"The force has clear plans for further improvements, which I will continue to monitor," he added.

• Chief praises public after police car crash

• Second dog joins police to help with wellbeing

• More than 100 knives handed to police in a month

Northamptonshire Police's Chief Constable, Nick Adderley, said the force was "definitely moving in the right direction and that is hugely encouraging".

But he added he was "confident... we have made significantly more progress than is indicated" in the report.

Mr Adderley said he did not believe the force was still under-performing "but I do accept we have further improvements to make in some areas".

"However, the reality is that we have covered an enormous distance from where we were," he added.