Meet Northamptonshire's Corruption Prevention Officer

Scott Bennett talks about his role as CPO and explains why connecting with partner agencies is important.

Why have a Corruption Prevention Officer?
“For policing to be effective, it’s vital our communities have trust and confidence in the Force, in the conduct of our officers and staff, and in the service we provide. The Counter Corruption Unit (CCU) not only has an investigative role it also has a proactive preventative and educational role to play”.

What’s the main focus of the CPO?
"The main aim of my role is to be proactive and put in place strategies and tools that will help us prevent corruption happening in the first place. It’s about education – of our officers and staff, and also our partner agencies and the public”.

“My aim is to establish and maintain links with partner agencies and provide information and guidance about what corruption might look like and the signs to look out for – such as those that might suggest an officer is abusing their position for a sexual purpose.

Why is connecting with partner agencies so important?
“This is a key part of my role. The agencies within Northamptonshire provide support to some of the most vulnerable people in the county. Their staff are in a position to be able to spot signs of abuse or vulnerability so if they know what to look out for, they can tell us if they think a service user is being taken advantage of by a member of the police service – or anyone else for that matter”.

“We want the public to feel confident that we take breaches of standards seriously and that we will act on intelligence and investigate allegations of wrong-doing. Equally, we want the small minority of officers and staff who do not uphold the standards of professional behaviour to know they won’t get away with it.”

How can Scott be contacted?
Those who are interested in knowing more about the role of the CPO or are seeking advice on how to recognise if officers and staff of Northants Police are abusing their position for personal gain, can contact Scott via scott.bennett2@northants.police.uk.
 

Last updated: 13 February 2023