Northamptonshire Police has admitted a major Freedom of Information backlog after taking more than 18 months to answer a request for information about officers charged with criminal offences.
Misconduct999 submitted the Freedom of Information request in February 2025.
The force did not provide its substantive response until 2 September 2026.
The request sought information about police officers and special constables charged with criminal offences — including figures that ultimately showed seven had been charged during 2024.
After receiving the response, Misconduct999 asked Northamptonshire Police why it took more than 18 months to provide the information.
The force acknowledged that the request had become part of a backlog.
A Northamptonshire Police spokesperson said:
“In recent years, our Information Management Unit has experienced a significant increase in demand over a sustained period. At the same time, the team that manages FOIs suffered an unavoidable reduction in capacity.
“During this time, we accrued a backlog of FOI cases, of which your request was one.”
70 per cent of backlog cleared
Northamptonshire Police says it has now brought in specialist resources to deal with historic requests.
The spokesperson added:
“Specialist resources have now been put in place to process these historic requests, and to date, 70 per cent of this backlog has been cleared.
“We have a detailed action plan in place detailing the recovery work already under way and longer-term objectives around governance, people, process, records, and demand-management controls to support sustained FOIA compliance.”
That means, on the force’s own figures, around 30 per cent of the historic backlog remained uncleared at the time of its response.
FOI law normally requires response within 20 working days
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, public authorities generally must respond to requests promptly and, in any event, no later than the twentieth working day after receipt, subject to provisions allowing additional time in particular circumstances.
A delay running from February 2025 until September 2026 is therefore far removed from the ordinary statutory timetable.
The eventual response also raises questions about how a request for comparatively straightforward statistical information could remain outstanding for more than a year and a half.
Northamptonshire Police says reduced capacity and increased demand were responsible and that recovery measures are now under way.
Information led to further questions
The eventual disclosure showed that seven police officers or special constables had been charged with criminal offences during 2024.
That information has subsequently led to a separate Misconduct999 investigation after Northamptonshire Police said five of those cases “did not progress to trial and so press releases were not issued in those instances”.
The force has now been asked to explain why those cases not reaching trial meant the original charges were apparently not publicised, and whether it applies the same publicity criteria to police officers as to other members of the public.
Misconduct999 will report Northamptonshire Police’s further response when received.
Northamptonshire Police
- Stats since 1st January 2022
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72 Misconduct Hearings
85% held in public
