Prime Minister Boris Johnson shown SNOvan and beat buses during visit to Northampton police station

During a visit to Northampton, Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited Northamptonshire Police at Weston Favell police station.

Mr Johnson met members of the Neighbourhood Policing Team led by Inspector Beth Warren and was shown around one of the two new mobile ‘Beat Buses’, which is allowing Northamptonshire Police to increase its presence in some of the county’s most rural and remote areas.

Mr Johnson also met with Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold and Assistant Chief Constable Simon Blatchly.

ACC Simon Blatchly said: “I was delighted to welcome the Prime Minister to Weston Favell today.

“The fact that it is his second visit to our force in just over a year shows that the work we are doing here in Northamptonshire is not going unnoticed nationally.

“This was an excellent opportunity to highlight to the Prime Minister how we are implementing the new Beating Crime Plan and cutting down on serious violence and neighbourhood crime such as burglary and anti-social behaviour.

“There was also a chance to discuss our work on tackling drugs and serious organised crime and highlight the positive journey that we are on as a force.”

As well as meeting the Neighbourhood Policing Team, the Prime Minister was also shown around the new Safer Nights Out (SNOvan).

Stephen Mold added: “It was an honour to welcome the Prime Minister back to Northamptonshire Police again.

“I was delighted to help show him around one of the new Beat Buses and the SNOvan, and these have proved hugely successful since we introduced them in terms of offering a vital service but also improving our visibility in the community.

“I was delighted to speak with Mr Johnson about the important steps forward the Force is taking and that we are well on track to have more police officers on our streets than ever before.

“It was also a chance to discuss the impact of Covid on justice.

“We know that court delays have had an impact on the victims of crime and making sure we can deliver effective justice is a key part of my new Police, Fire and Crime Plan for the next three years.

“The visit also gave me the opportunity to highlight to the Prime Minister how effective the new collaboration and joint working between Northamptonshire Police and Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service has been since I took on the governance of the Fire Service from the County Council, and I was delighted to tell him about the positive steps that have been taken since then.”

This is the second visit to Northamptonshire the Prime Minister has made in the last 15 months.

Prior to the Prime Minister’s visit to the police station, he attended the Moulton Park vaccination centre to thank staff and volunteers for their hard work.

After the police station visit, Mr Johnson visited the Chronicle & Echo office where he spoke about the Afghan resettlement programme, the recovery of our town centre and high street and the Harry Dunn case.