Policing your neighbourhood
1. What is neighbourhood policing?
Every area in Northamptonshire has a dedicated neighbourhood policing team, made up of police officers and police community support officers (PCSOs), who are supported by additional police officers from the wider area, police staff, special constables and volunteers.
Through our neighbourhood policing teams, we aim to deliver a truly local policing service, where officers are a visible, accessible, and trusted presence within their communities.
Neighbourhood policing teams work proactively to tackle local issues. They work closely with partner agencies and the local community to improve local conditions and help create stronger, safer communities in our towns and villages.
By working together, they aim to identify issues early and find long-term, sustainable solutions to local problems, while maintaining a wider focus on reducing crime across their policing area.
Our neighbourhood policing approach also includes programmes to increase capable guardianship across the county. A ‘capable guardian’ can be anyone who by their very presence can help deter crime and anti-social behaviour. This can include professional roles such as a council warden or voluntary roles such street pastors ore watch scheme volunteers.
Watch this short film to find out more about neighbourhood policing in Northamptonshire, what it is and how it’s different to response policing, and the role of the PCSO.
Every area in Northamptonshire has a dedicated neighbourhood policing team supported by police staff, special constables and volunteers.
Neighbourhood policing teams work to improve local conditions and help create stronger, safer communities in our towns and villages.
Together with partners and communities, they agree what needs to be done to tackle and resolve local issues that affect people’s safety and quality of life, and provide feedback on what’s being done and what’s been achieved.
As well as tackling crime and anti-social behaviour on their patch, you'll see officers out and about patrolling their area, and carrying out activities such as beat bus surgeries, attending residents meetings or giving talks to school and community groups.
Neighbourhood officers strive to be a visible, accessible and trusted presence within the community, working to reduce harm and improve feelings of safety.
They use a range of problem-solving skills to tackle and prevent crime, and work closely with partners such as the council, housing associations, youth and social services, as well as local residents, to resolve local issues.
Working alongside hate crime specialists and community engagement officers, our Neighbourhood teams strive to create dialogue and build stronger relationships with their diverse communities.
When you call 999 about a crime, Response officers will respond promptly, helping victims, compiling crime reports, identifying suspects and making arrests. Teams will then work together to investigate the incident, charge offenders and prepare cases for court.
This is reacting to a crime after it's happened and working to get justice for victims.
Neighbourhood policing looks to identify issues early, and proactively prevent crime by addressing root causes and seeking long-term, sustainable solutions.
Our neighbourhood officers do this by working with the community and partners to identify issues of concern. For example, by conducting ongoing local priority surveys or gathering information from local residents about suspicious activity.
This enables them to implement strategies to address persistent issues, such as anti-social behaviour, speeding, retail crime, drug dealing and misuse, offences that affect the rural community, and much more.
Police community support officers are an integral part of neighbourhood policing teams, working alongside police officers to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.
They have a range of designated legal powers, while also getting involved in responding to a wider range of non-criminal issues to improve public safety and protect the vulnerable.
They’re able to become familiar with their local community, gathering intelligence, carrying out targeted patrols and providing a reassuring, visible and accessible presence in towns and villages across the county.
Neighbourhood policing is about community, and working with and for local people to make your neighbourhood a safer place.
There are lots of ways you can get involved too, from telling us what concerns you about your local area or sharing information about suspicious activity to joining a watch scheme or volunteering as a special constable, police support volunteer or emergency services cadet.
To find out more about how to get involved, and for information about your neighbourhood team, who your local officers are and what they are doing to tackle crime in your area, visit northants.police.uk.
For regular updates about local policing activity, with messages in your chosen language and opportunities to give feedback and contact your local officers, sign up to our community messaging service Northamptonshire Talking.
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