Head of Prosecutions awarded British Empire Medal for services to Northamptonshire

Mandy Rowlatt, Head of Prosecutions has become the first woman in Northamptonshire Police to be awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the inaugural King’s Birthday Honours list for services to the County.

The BEM is a British and Commonwealth award for meritorious civil service worthy of recognition by the Crown.

Mandy Rowlatt with her husband John and daughters Chloe and Katy. 

Mandy has worked for Northamptonshire Police for 13 years.

When asked about how she felt being awarded a BEM, she said: “I feel completely overwhelmed. Speechless, stunned, but thrilled as well. I'm just delighted and completely honoured. But although it’s me receiving it, I wanted to receive it as part of and on behalf of the Force as well because it isn't just me that's delivering all this brilliant work. We're first in the country for file quality and that's testimony to my staff in Criminal Justice. While I am leading the Department, they are each individually doing all the really hard work.

“I think I'm successful at what I do because I enjoy what I do. It is a vocation for me rather than a career. I have worked in the justice system since the age of 17, it really is all I know.

“Victims have always been my main focus and this stems from my early days in the CPS and two particularly harrowing cases I worked on. I always ask myself, ‘how can we as a department ensure swift and positive outcomes for victims’ – they are the centre of my decision making.

“I received a letter from the Cabinet Office on May 10, but I was sworn to secrecy because I had to go through some final reference checks. I was formally notified on June 16.”

When asked about her family’s reactions, Mandy said: “I framed and wrapped the letter that I received from the Cabinet Office, and then invited my family to my house to open the letter and my parents were overwhelmed, very emotional, but also very proud.”

Asked whether she should be treated any differently with this honour, she said: “No, no, not at all. There are police officers, who maybe because they feel they have to out of respect, call me Ma’am. But I always, always, correct them and say it's Mandy, it's not Ma’am. Call me Mandy…so no change there!”

Head of Prosecutions, Mandy Rowlatt and Cheif Constable, Nick Adderley.

Chief Constable Nick Adderley, said: “Huge congratulations to Mandy on being awarded the BEM. She is an incredible leader and advocate for our Force.”

Mrs Andreena Monteith, Mandy’s mother, said: “She was always going to be somebody. When I was sick in hospital, she would visit and start to recommend changes and how to do things differently as part of my treatment, discussing these with the nursing staff and doctors. That’s the way she is, trying to improve things all the time. I’m really proud of her.”

Mandy Rowlatt with her parents, Mr and Mrs Monteith

Chloe and Katy Rowlatt, Mandy’s daughters who also works for Northamptonshire Police, said: “We are so proud of her. She’s worked for years and years to get to this point. It’s well deserved, and she should soak up all of it. She’s a great mother and best friend.”

John Rowlatt, who is part of the Force’s Estates and Facilities team and Mandy’s husband, said: “She makes the occasional joke that now I’ll have to open the car door for her, but Mandy really is humble and recognises the help from her family through the years that allowed her to make the amazing progress she has. She never thought she would end up with this kind of honour.



Mandy’s Career
Mandy started her career in the home office, aged 17. When a position came up in the Crown Prosecution Service as a paralegal, she joined.

Mandy sat behind barristers in the crown court in the most major crimes and most serious offences for a number of years, And then in around 1992, the CPS decided to ‘grow their own’. She was selected to undertake and undergo legal training that was validated by Nottingham Law School. Having completed that successfully she became an associate prosecutor for the CPS for over two decades.

Mandy was seconded across to Northamptonshire police while simultaneously still prosecuting, and this is where she met and built really good relationships with the Force and officers.

When the CPS decided they were going to close their Northampton office and move to Leicester, Mandy opted to take voluntary early redundancy, aged 42. She then continued her career with Northamptonshire Police, working her way up the career ladder to become Head of Prosecutions.