Since I was first elected as Member of Parliament for Northampton North I have regularly had meetings with police officers of all ranks, including most recently a very good meeting with the new Chief Constable on Northamptonshire Police Simon Edens. I have also periodically gone out on patrol with Northamptonshire Police, including most recently with traffic police patrolling the M1 motorway within the past year.
I also regularly have meetings with representatives of the Northamptonshire Police Federation, who represent the rank and file police officers in our county, including Constables, Sergeants, Inspectors and Chief Inspectors. I had another such meeting with Northampton Police Federation representatives again last week.
Continuing to reduce crime rates is a priority for me as an MP – both in Northampton and across the country. In my parliamentary work, as I am attached to the Home Office, a large amount of my work relates to policing. Prior to my appointment earlier this year as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Home Secretary Theresa May, I was a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee for over four years.
This latest meeting was a good opportunity to meet again with local representatives of the Police Federation, hearing about the current state of policing in Northampton from the perspective of these officers. The tireless and often dangerous work of our Police has been instrumental in driving down crime in Northamptonshire by 21% since 2010.