Northamptonshire Police Authority

Northamptonshire Police Authority is asking local residents to get to know who the Authority is and what it does.

The Authority is a vital link in ensuring local people have a say in policing and that there is an open and transparent relationship between the police and the public.

There are a number of ways the public can get involved with the Authority, by becoming an independent member, taking part in the Independent Custody Visiting Scheme visiting police stations across Northamptonshire, taking part in the various consultation exercises the Authority provides or by attending one of the Authority meetings that are open to the public.

Alternatively members of the public can become part of an Independent Advisory Group, which meets regularly and advises the Authority and Force on policies, procedures or community issues.

The Authority is key in ensuring that an effective and efficient police service is delivered that reflects the diverse communities it serves.

The Authority is made up of 17 members from two groups: independent members - there are eight independent members from the general public, and Councillor members - there are nine councillors nominated from the County Council to reflect the political balance.

A Chief Executive and a team of six full and part time staff support the members. One of the key areas of work for the Authority is setting the Force budget and how much money needs to be raised towards the cost of policing through the local council tax.

The Authority also monitors and scrutinises force performance, finance and budgets. It also sets the strategic direction for policing in line with Government directives and decides what the police should focus attention on based on consultation with local people.

The Authority works closely with Northamptonshire Police, its partners, local authorities and the criminal justice system, playing a strategic role, while the Chief Constable - who is appointed by the Authority, manages the day-to-day delivery of policing.

Chair of the Police Authority, Deidre Newham, said: "We are keen for the public to have a greater understanding of the role of the Police  Authority and how their views can be fed into the policing of Northamptonshire.

"There are a number of ways in which people can link in with us, whether that's by attending one of our meetings, helping with sharing views by filling in a questionnaire or by becoming involved with the Independent Advisory Group."

More information on the Police Authority and its activities can be obtained from http://www.northantspoliceauthority.org.uk/