Policing is an issue very close to my heart, as someone who grew up in a policing family here in our community, and it is an issue I have consistently raised throughout my time in Parliament, given it is such a priority for Corby & East Northamptonshire residents.
As such, I wanted to provide a short update on two key local policing issues that have been raised with me, and which I have discussed in some detail in recent weeks, including at my meeting with Inspector Scott Little in Corby a few weeks ago, and also say something about an interesting discussion I had with national Police Federation representatives about wider policing policy.
First, is the important issue of frontline presence locally. I have always categorically supported the view that we need more police officers out on the beat, catching criminals and deterring crime. I am strongly of the view that those two things are inextricably linked - officer presence undoubtedly leads to reductions in crime, as it serves as a visible deterrent. This applies in both rural and urban areas. For these reasons, I strongly support the commitment of the Northamptonshire Police & Crime Commissioner, Stephen Mold, to recruit 200 more officers with the intention of seeing almost 100 more out on our streets. This will take us up to, and beyond, the number of officers available for deployment than there were in 2010 - a very positive step forward and testament to his determination to bolster frontline visibility. I know local residents across Corby & East Northamptonshire will welcome this, as do I, having campaigned for it.
The issue of Corby Police Station has also understandably been raised with me. Having had many meetings in there over the years, and having been out on operations with our hardworking officers, it is clear to me, and anyone who has been inside the building, that it is no longer fit for purpose, or suitable for the requirements of modern policing that has evolved so rapidly in recent years. Instead, back in 2017, the decision was taken to relocate much of the operation to the new state-of-the-art response base a few miles away on the A43 between Corby and Kettering. However, neighbourhood officers and the police enquiry desk remained in the centre of Corby, but I was always assured that this arrangement would be kept under review.
Northamptonshire Police have been true to their word on this, and on the back of concerns raised about response times, the Chief Constable has made the operational decision to provide response officers with a new facility in Corby. Again, this will further help to boost frontline presence and is a welcome step forward, along with the ongoing commitment to retain the highly effective and valued neighbourhood officers on the ground and the police enquiry desk located in the centre of Corby in the easily accessible location of the Cube.
More broadly, police funding is an issue I have campaigned vigorously on in Parliament - as far back as 2015, standing up against the Opposition’s calls to cut police spending by 10%, when the Government was pursuing a policy of freezing it. In the years since then, I have been successful in helping to lead the calls for more Government funding for policing in our area and indeed nationally - extra money that I’m afraid the Labour Party have consistently voted against. This is an area of spending I believe should be prioritised and I will always make the case for, as it is important that forces have the resources they need to invest in key frontline priorities. Indeed, during the leadership election to choose the next Prime Minister, this will be a particular area of policy I will be taking a keen interest in and probing the candidates about their ideas for it.
But policing is about so much more than monetary figures and buildings. It is about the individuals who do so much in the line of duty to keep us safe and the unique and important contribution they make to our communities. That is why I am proud to be supportive of the work of the Police Federation in supporting those dedicated officers and making sure that their contribution is properly recognised and their welfare prioritised. Having grown up around these challenges, stresses and strains, I know the impact they can have on the individuals concerned, but also on wider family life.
Mental health is increasingly pertinent - not least because of the way that policing is evolving, and it is difficult to imagine, for example, the mental and emotional strain of dealing with horrific crimes such as child sexual exploitation and human trafficking, day in, day out. Access to the right mental health support must therefore be prioritised, whilst officers should also be confident that the law is on their side in the event that they are abused or assaulted - exactly why I worked cross-party to help ensure the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act made it onto the statute book, to tighten the law and increase punishments for those assaulting those who serve.
The Police Federation have some really interesting ideas about how we can build on this agenda, and I will work with them to help progress these ideas at pace in the months ahead. Not only is there a moral case for doing this, but it also makes complete sense from a practical perspective, in that if officers are fit and well, they are best able to perform their duties to the fullest extent and frontline policing hours are maximised.
As you can see, this issue is one that has been very high on my agenda in recent months, and throughout my time as your local MP, and will continue to be - not least because it comes up frequently through my ‘Listening Campaign’, but also because everyone has a right to feel safe in their community and I am also passionate that we have a duty as a society to do right by those who do so much to keep us, and our communities, safe.