Northamptonshire Police Federation

FRONTLINE POLICING UNDER SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE, SAYS CHAIR

Frontline response policing in Northamptonshire is under ‘significant and sustained pressure’, according to Sam Dobbs.

The chair of Northamptonshire Police Federation has warned that staffing shortfalls are leaving Local Response Teams (LRT) operating below safe minimum levels, with increasing strain placed on officers across shifts.

Sam said LRTs are facing ‘unprecedented gaps’ between required and actual staffing once abstractions such as training, court duties and sickness are taken into account. In some cases, teams are operating at close to half their intended strength.

Speaking to mark the end of Response Policing Week (20-26 April), Sam said: “There are not enough officers working on the frontline, and despite the will, work and ideas of us all, there are still not enough people to fill the gaps.”

The Federation says night shifts are of particular concern, describing them as the period of highest operational risk and lowest staffing resilience.

“The particular risk is around night staffing. It is when officers are at most risk of assault with the fewest people working,” Sam added. “Carrying on as we are is simply not an option.”

He also highlighted increasing reliance on overtime to maintain service levels, warning that this approach is becoming harder to sustain due to fatigue and reduced officer capacity to take additional shifts.

“Asking officers to continually plug the gaps is not sustainable, even where overtime is offered,” he said. “People need rest - and the system is now struggling to provide it.”

HEAR MORE FROM SAM: https://bit.ly/3ONmfvB

🕯 IN MEMORY

Northamptonshire Police Federation chair Sam Dobbs today paid tribute to PC Alex Prentice on the fourth anniversary of his death.

Alex became unwell at his base station of Pytchley on 26 April 2022 and later died at Kettering General Hospital.

He had worked for Northamptonshire Police for more than 20 years and was a member of the Road Crime Team based in Kettering.

Sam Dobbs said: “Alex was a fantastic police officer and a much-loved friend and colleague whose sudden death shocked officers and staff across the Force.

“Today we pay tribute to Alex, his life, and his service of more than two decades to the Force and Northamptonshire.

“And we hold in our thoughts his family, his friends, and his colleagues on this sad anniversary.”

🤝 CHAIR BACKS OFFICERS AMID SURVEY ON PUBLIC CONFIDENCE

Sam Dobbs, chair of the Northamptonshire Police Federation, has voiced his support for local officers following the release of new research highlighting public dissatisfaction with policing.

The findings, presented on Sky News’ UK Tonight: Is Policing Fit for Purpose?, revealed worrying trends: 35 per cent of respondents admitted they do not report crimes, while only 14 per cent felt that low-level, everyday offences are properly investigated. For those who do report crimes, just half were satisfied with how cases were handled, and 64 per cent were unhappy with outcomes.

“These figures reflect what our officers are facing every day across Northamptonshire,” said Sam. “The public are noticing a workforce stretched too thin, pushed to respond to growing demand with fewer resources. Our communities deserve better, and so do the officers who give everything to their roles.”

The survey also highlighted wider systemic issues. A striking 90 per cent of respondents said the police are understaffed, while 93 per cent identified underfunding as the root cause of operational challenges.

Sam emphasised the local impact: “When you look at the reasons behind these challenges, money is central - both in terms of operational capacity and what officers take home.

“That’s why we continue to campaign for Northamptonshire officers to receive the South East Allowance. Officers in Bedfordshire and Thames Valley get it; our members, facing similar pressures and cost-of-living demands, should too. This would make a real difference for officers and their families.”

HEAR MORE FROM SAM: https://bit.ly/41LGxZk

🌎 ONLINE WEBINAR TO MARK INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

A virtual one-hour webinar will be taking place tomorrow (Friday 6 March) to mark this year’s International Women’s Day.

Hosted by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW), the session, titled ‘Give to Gain - How Supporting Others Accelerates Your Own Success’, will include a discussion led by guest speaker Inspector Sophie King.

Sophie, who was awarded the Outstanding Contribution to Women in Policing Award 2025, will reflect on her experiences with coaching and mentoring, sharing how helping others succeed can also strengthen your own leadership abilities and career development.

This event is open to anyone who wants to enhance their leadership capability, boost confidence, improve collaboration within teams, or feel more empowered in their role.

Attendees will come away with useful insights and practical ideas to support both their own growth and that of the people around them.

The webinar will run for one hour, from 11am to 12pm.

Register online here - https://pfewevents.org/international-womens-day-give-to-gain

📸 FED MEMBER FRONTS NEW POLICE RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN

A Federation member has spoken of her pride after becoming one of the faces of Northamptonshire Police’s latest recruitment drive.

PC Fez Hibberd is part of the Force’s ongoing ‘Be The Difference’ campaign, which launched earlier this month and is centred around the message that anyone can make an impact in policing.

So far, Fez’s involvement has seen her feature in a promotional video for the Force’s social and digital channels, showing her and a colleague racing to a frontline emergency, accompanied by audio encouraging viewers to ‘be that police officer you once had – or never did’.

The video also tells prospective police officers to consider ‘the lives you’ll change’ by helping victims of crime and the fact that there is ‘a different role, place or skill’ to suit anyone interested in joining the ranks – words Fez says she could not resonate more with.

“When I think about the essence of the campaign and what we are actually trying to get across to people, I feel a big sense of honour in being a part of it, to be honest,” she explained.

Fez’s video is set to be broadcast on ITVX – one of the UK’s most popular streaming platforms – while campaign material is also displayed on outdoor media such as billboards.

FIND OUT MORE: https://bit.ly/4sn8aTC

🤝 PRICELESS SUPPORT FOR MEMBER FACING MISCONDUCT HEARING

"It would have been a very lonely place without the Federation and support provided by the Group Insurance Scheme. Now more than ever, it’s so important for police officers to be members of both.”

That’s the words of former Northamptonshire Police officer Steve Scott (pictured), who has faced more than six months of uncertainty, legal argument and the very real prospect of being dismissed for gross misconduct - all stemming from an off-duty decision to locate a stolen car in his local community.

Now, following an accelerated gross misconduct hearing chaired by the Chief Constable of Northamptonshire Police, Steve says one thing is clearer to him than ever.

“Without the Federation and the Group Insurance Scheme, things could have ended very differently,” said the 42-year-old who had been a serving police officer for more than 20 years.

READ STEVE'S FULL STORY: https://bit.ly/3N7P7hd
Northamptonshire Police

FED CHAIR WELCOMES CHIEF'S DECISION AFTER HEARING

Branch chair Sam Dobbs has welcomed the Chief Constable’s decision following an accelerated gross misconduct hearing, describing the outcome as fair, balanced, and reflective of the realities of modern policing.

Today (Tuesday 24 February), a disciplinary hearing, chaired by the Chief Constable of Northamptonshire Police, took place into the conduct of former officer Steve Scott.

The investigation was a result of Steve’s actions in July 2025, when he was off duty, signed off sick and had already resigned from the Force.

He had become aware that his ex-partner’s grandfather had been the victim of a car theft in a local area known to him.

Drawing on over two decades of policing experience, he accessed the incident log from home and identified information suggesting the stolen vehicle remained nearby. Acting on that knowledge, he located the vehicle and immediately reported it through official channels, calling 101 and later 999 when two suspects returned to the car.

Police units were deployed, the vehicle was recovered, and forensic opportunities were preserved. Steve later provided a witness statement and, on the advice of the Police Federation, voluntarily referred himself to the Professional Standards Department (PSD) to ensure full transparency regarding his actions.

FULL STORY: https://bit.ly/4ayIxJD

'NOW TURN WORDS INTO ACTIONS' URGES CHAIR

Northamptonshire Police Federation chair Sam Dobbs has welcomed the Policing Minister’s statement to Parliament acknowledging the ‘sacrifices involved in police work’.

But now Sam has urged Sarah Jones MP to ‘turn words into actions’ by tackling the violence faced by frontline officers, and improving their pay and conditions.

He was commenting on Ms Jones’s statement to the House of Commons, where she presented the Police Covenant annual report to fellow MPs.

Ms Jones said: “The Police Covenant demonstrates a recognition by Government, policing and society of the sacrifices involved in police work.

“The covenant sets out to ensure that members of the police workforce suffer no detriment as a result of their role.”

She added: “It is my ambition, and that of the Government as a whole, that the covenant should leave the police workforce in no doubt that we are on your side and will support you.

“You do so much to protect us, it is only right that we protect you.”

Sam said the covenant report revealed ‘a shocking’ picture of violence against police officers and staff, with an average of 115 assaults every day.

He said: “While I welcome the Minister’s acknowledgement of the challenges and sacrifices made by our members, it’s now time to turn words into actions.

“She says that the Government wants to protect us.

“However, we continue to be used as a political punchbag, as well as a literal punchbag given that a shocking 115 police officers and staff are attacked on average every single day."

READ MORE: https://bit.ly/4rZNcdi

⚖ BEHIND THE HIDDEN WEIGHT OF THE BADGE

Mike Bellchambers, 40, has spent 17 years serving with Northamptonshire Police. His journey began even earlier, with five years as a Special Constable, fuelled by a childhood dream.

He admits that he never wanted a ‘boring nine-to-five job’. Instead, he ‘wanted to be out there, making a difference’. But the reality of policing is far more complex than most people realise.

Having previously reached rock bottom, Mike has now bravely shared the mental health challenges he has faced.

“I don’t think people truly appreciate how the job affects you unless you’ve lived it,” he said.

“The number of traumatic events a person experiences in the Force is unmanageable. It impacts every aspect of your life, including your personal life. You go to so many traumatic jobs, day in and day out, and rarely - if ever - talk about them. All of those jobs live with you. You carry them.”

Mike shares memories that reveal the emotional weight officers silently bear. As a new parent, he bluelighted a child to hospital but never processed the trauma.

FULL STORY: https://bit.ly/4aEFmij

👨‍💻 ONLINE MENTAL HEALTH GUIDES

A free online resource is available to provide advice and guidance to members of Northamptonshire Police Federation who are concerned about their child’s mental health.

The guide has been produced by Police Mutual for Children’s Mental Health Week (9 to 15 February).

The theme for this year’s Children’s Mental Health Week is 'This is my place', and it aims to help children and young people to feel that they belong and are supported.

The guide provides a walk-through of common emotional and mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression.

READ MORE: https://bit.ly/4bOKBhM