Concerns over Police Move

Members of the public have sought reassurance that police response times to 999 calls would not change after The Post exclusively revealed the transfer of twelve police officers from Brackley last week.

The twelve moved out last Thursday, meaning the Brackley area is now covered by a combined team based in Towcester.

Chief Supt John Millar told the Post last week the decision to reorganize the Western police area's response teams into two teams rather than four - combining Pitsford's and Daventry's as well as those in Brackley and Towcester - was a direct result of the area losing five officers to Northampton to deal with the crime problems there.

The issue was raised at this week's community safety meeting held in Helmdon on Wednesday, October 15th.

Police officers attending the meeting were asked if people in Brackley and its surrounding villages would see a change in response times as a result of the move.

One concerned member of the public pointed out that officers who would previously have come from Brackley will now have to travel from Towcester instead, which they said would affect the time it takes for them to respond to an emergency call.

But Inspector Eric Young said: "There are always going to be police officers working out of Brackley Police Station so I can assure you that there will be no difference in the response times for Brackley."

Other issues about the staffing of the Brackley based station were then raised.
Fears over the ease with which suspects could be transported to the nearest designated custody areas, currently based at Weston Favell and Campbell Square police stations in Northampton, were raised by David Brookhouse, vice chairman of Helmdon Parish Council.

He pointed out that with two officers accompanying a suspect to the custody area even fewer officers would remain to deal with any other incidents.

But Inspector Young said officers had cut down the amount of time they needed to spend at the other stations in order to be able to return to the area as soon as possible.

The Brackley Post - 17th October 2003