New animated film spotlights the work of neighbourhood policing teams in Northamptonshire

A new animated film that highlights the work of neighbourhood policing teams in the county is now being shared on the Northamptonshire Police website and across its social media channels.

The four minute film explains the role of neighbourhood police officers and how their work both differs and complements that of other policing roles, such as response teams who deal with emergency and urgent calls for assistance, and CID detectives who focus on the investigation of more serious cases such as violent crime.

Every area in the county has a dedicated neighbourhood policing team, made up of police officers and police community support officers (PCSOs), who are supported by special constables and volunteers, and officers from the wider area.

Neighbourhood officers work proactively to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour on their patch, working with partners such as the council to find lasting solutions to local issues, improving local conditions and helping to create stronger, safer communities in towns and villages across Northamptonshire.

Each neighbourhood officer has a designated beat and aims to be a visible, accessible, and trusted presence within their communities.

Head of Local Police, Chief Superintendent Chris Hillery, said: “Our short animation film provides a simple overview of neighbourhood policing in Northamptonshire, how it compares to other areas of policing and the role of our neighbourhood officers and PCSOs.

“When people think about the work of a police officer, they often think it’s all about dealing with blue light emergencies and investigating crime. Which, of course, is hugely important.

“However, neighbourhood policing enables a grass roots partnership between the local community and our teams , where officers can really get to know and be known in their local community, understand the issues that are affecting people’s feelings of safety and quality of life, and work with partner agencies to tackle the issues that matter most to local people.

“The animation is intended to be a fun way to explain this important part of policing that often doesn’t have the same profile as other functions but is critical to policing and communities. We want people to know there is a team of officers allocated to their local area, who they can contact to raise any concerns they have about local crime and policing issues.

“A vital part of a neighbourhood officer’s role is to be visible and accessible within the community they police. Alongside regular patrols, officers and PCSOs hold surgeries on their patch, either in local venues or with one of our two Neighbourhood Beat Buses.

“These provide a great opportunity for officers to meet and chat with people in person, but we know we’ll only get to speak with a limited number of people in this way. It’s important we also make use of digital tools to help us reach and encourage conversation with as many people as possible.

“Through our website, our Northamptonshire Talking messaging system, social media presence and regular community surgeries, we aim to provide as many opportunities as possible for people to get in touch and stay up to date with the policing activity in their neighbourhood.”

Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone funded the creation of the video. She said: “Putting neighbourhood policing teams at the heart of the communities they serve is a top priority.

“This film aims to explain how neighbourhood officers are working, with partners, to solve problems on their patch and deal with the issues that people really care about.  It’s part of a wider plan to build understanding and pave the way to improved engagement with local people.”

The animated film also signposts people to where they can find more information about their local neighbourhood team and how to get in touch with them.

To watch the film and find out more about neighbourhood policing in Northamptonshire, click on the link below or visit www.northants.police.uk/neighbourhoods, where you can also find out who your local officers are and how to contact them.

Anyone who lives or works in Northamptonshire is also encouraged to sign up to Northamptonshire Talking to get messages about local crime and policing activity.

The film is also available in Polish, Romanian, Urdu, Bengali and Gujarati and these can also be found on the Force website here.