Scheduled appointments

More than 9,000 people had scheduled appointments with officers across Northamptonshire in the first six months of the scheme - with only five appointments missed.

The scheduled appointments scheme was launched in July 2009 as part of the Force's response to the Policing Pledge.

Between July 1 and December 31 the force met 9,174 appointments, missing just five in that time.

Chief Inspector Dave Hill, Confidence Programme Manager, said: "The introduction of scheduled appointments has been a big success for the force and is something we hope will be of benefit to people living and working across Northamptonshire.

"The appointments were introduced at the beginning of July and in the first six months we made more than 9,000 visits and missed just five.

"Those five appointments were missed in the summer just after the scheme was launched and we are determined to make sure they remain the only ones to be missed."

Victims and witnesses of crime who do not require an urgent response are given the opportunity to arrange a time that is more beneficial for them, rather than waiting for an officer to arrive when they are able to.

Chief Inspector Hill added: "The feedback we have had from those people who have been visited on a scheduled appointment has been overwhelmingly positive. Rather than being told an officer will be with them as soon as possible, we arrange to visit at a time that is convenient for the member of the public.

"Scheduled appointments are an important issue for us and we are determined to make this mutually beneficial system a success for us and victims and witnesses."

Anyone who would like to find out more about scheduled appointments, can do so by logging on to www.northants.police.uk or by calling the new non-emergency number 03000 111 222.

Thank you.