A new training centre is being created for Northamptonshire Police to add capacity that will support the current drive to recruit hundreds more officers for the Force.

Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold has bought a building in Northampton, which is being transformed into a facility to enable officers to be trained in a more professional and appropriate environment. Training currently takes place in two small, modular buildings in the driveway at Wootton Hall which were earmarked for replacement 10 years ago.

The commercial building is now being refurbished as a new Northamptonshire Police Learning and Development Centre. When it opens in Spring 2020, the centre will bring all the training disciplines together under one roof to include:

• Three core classrooms and two crime classrooms
• Two interview rooms and monitoring rooms
• Two IT classrooms
• A fitness and safety training hall

The refurbishment is expected to take around 20 weeks and the total cost of the building and refurbishment is £2.6 million.

The Commissioner and the Chief Constable have announced plans to recruit 200 officers for Northamptonshire, which would take the Force to 1310 officers, back to the numbers of 2010.

Government funding for a further 57 officers has also been announced, with a further two phases of central funding expected for around 190 extra police officers for Northamptonshire Police. On current projections, this would take the Force to over 1500 officers by 2023.

Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold said: “Northamptonshire Police is in the middle of a major recruitment drive and the way that officers are trained will shape those officers, and the Force, for the next 30 years. Old, decaying classrooms without proper facilities don’t create the best learning environment and they certainly don’t create the right impression when we are competing for the best quality recruits.

“This new facility will be among the best in the region and it is a very important investment in the future of Northamptonshire Police.”

Nick Adderley, Chief Constable of Northamptonshire Police, said:  “The new training facility is an exciting development for Northamptonshire Police and will ensure we are able to continue to provide effective, professional and quality training in a much-improved and dedicated learning environment for many years to come.

“While the requirement to train hundreds of new officers over the next few years is crucial, training isn’t only for new recruits, and it’s really important that all our officers and staff continue their professional development throughout their careers and that we support and provide the right environment for them to do so.

“From general refresher skills training to dedicated courses for detectives and other specialists, alongside annual fitness tests and unarmed defensive tactics training, as well as leadership courses for our managers and those working towards promotion, there is a huge range of training we need to provide to ensure a fully skilled, motivated and committed workforce.

“I welcome the investment by the Police Crime and Fire Commissioner in this new facility as an investment in the future of policing in our county and in our people, who work hard each and every day to fight crime and protect the people of Northamptonshire.”

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