Key police stakeholders working together to avoid ‘perfect storm’

5 September 2025

Northamptonshire Police Federation has underlined its gravest-ever concerns over the significant pressures facing local policing - but says progress is being made thanks to constructive conversations with the Force and a united approach across key stakeholders.

Branch chair Sam Dobbs said officers continue to work incredibly hard, often stepping up to cover staffing gaps, staying on after shifts, and going above and beyond to meet daily demand.

Sam explained that the Federation has been working alongside the Superintendents’ Association, uniting all ranks to push for change, raising their concerns directly at a summit meeting with Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet.

He praised the Chief Constable’s recent ‘bold decision’, to break with the tradition of giving a half hour to the King, and instead pay the county’s frontline police officers for the overtime worked.

Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet

Sam said: “This policy change is an acknowledgement of the pressure that frontline police officers are under, and is the first step that shows officers they have been heard, but there is much more to do.

“Every police officer comes to work to protect the public - and they work hard, doing their best to provide a great service and earn the trust of local people. So while this is a great first step, there is much more to do to help give Northamptonshire the policing it deserves.”

Sam explained that the strain on officers is not just about numbers but a number of factors coming together at a critical time to create what he calls a potential ‘perfect storm’.

“This is about police pay, relentless increases in demand, a funding formula for the county that has spectacularly failed to keep pace with growth, and the fact that Northamptonshire is one of the fastest-growing counties in England, while policing provision remains stagnant,” he said.

Commitment

Sam heaped praise on officers who ‘continue to show extraordinary commitment’.

He continued: “CID and frontline teams in particular are under immense pressure.

“Summer demand is no longer seasonal - it’s constant - and our officers are keeping services going through their goodwill and dedication. But goodwill alone is not sustainable. We need to find long-term solutions to protect both our members and the public we serve.”

Recent Home Office figures show that Northamptonshire has 1,465 full-time equivalent officers for 802,300 residents - just 183 officers per 100,000 people. This puts the county 36th out of 42 forces in England and Wales, below the national average of 219.

“While these figures show the challenge, they don’t capture the commitment of our officers, who continue to serve with professionalism and pride every day, often to their personal detriment, to which there will be a breaking point,” Sam added.

And the funding formula that has put Northamptonshire Police at a disadvantage for many years still has not been tackled.

Burden

“Northamptonshire doesn’t get - and has never got - its fair share of funding, and our police officers carry that burden,” Sam said.

“We were promised this by the end of the last Government, and it was not delivered, something we have emphatically raised with the Police, Fire and Crime commissioner Danielle Stone to challenge since she took office.

“It beggars belief that the county has been allowed to grow without the necessary infrastructure in policing, and all the agencies with whom we connect as the service of first - and last - resort.

“I’ll be working with the Commissioner to give her the evidence she needs as she lobbies to get Northamptonshire the funding it deserves.

“I also know from our regular meetings with her that she shares both our determination to make progress – and our impatience.”

Sam lauded the collaborative approach taken by the Federation and the Superintendents’ Association to address issues in policing.

Branch chair Sam Dobbs

“This united approach from staff associations, chief officers and the Commissioner shows how seriously we are all taking the situation,” said Sam.

“It’s not just one part of the service raising issues - it’s everyone coming together for the good of policing and the safety of the public.

And I’ll be continuing to work with the Chief Constable, Superintendents’ Association and those with an interest in policing to carry through a programme of improvements that include:

● The Chief Constable’s acknowledgement of the demand pressures and fast commitment to reviewing deployment - and making this the Force’s top priority.

● He has ended the so-called ‘half hour for the King’ practice, ensuring that extra time worked is now recognised and paid as overtime (to be reviewed in April)

● A £1 million fund has been pledged to improve officer welfare, station facilities, and fairer crime allocation practices.

● The Commissioner’s commitment to work with us on an audit of our police estate - which is rundown for both the public and officers who work within it - to drastically improve the consequences of years of under-investment.

“To see that these steps have already been taken shows the power and success of the conversations we are having with the Chief Constable and Commissioner,” said Sam.

Chief Constable

“And as well as the meetings with us, I’m aware that the Chief has taken the time to visit stations across the county and has conducted his own Force survey. I recognise that through these means, he has received his own feedback from officers, and is clearly responding to the concerns raised.

“I’d like to thank the Chief for listening and responding. This shows not only that he is listening but that we are being heard - our members are being heard.

“I also appreciate that the Force is actively recruiting more officers, PCSOs and staff throughout the year. It is reassuring to see that the Chief is clearly making the Force his priority and that he puts our county and members at the forefront of his leadership”

Sam emphasised that while challenges remain, the progress so far provides a foundation for further change.

“These steps are positive and encouraging - but they are just the beginning,” he said. “We must keep working towards fairer funding, investment in officer numbers, and pay that reflects the demands of the job.

“Our members continue to show remarkable resilience, and with the collaborative approach we are taking alongside the Force and the wider policing family, I am confident that we can protect both our officers and the public from the pressures we face.

“I recognise that some of our members and the public feel that there is no hope. And it is the job of all of us with a leadership role in policing to create and sustain that hope.

“We are committed to avoiding the so-called ‘perfect storm’ - and together, we can”.

Diary

December 2025