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The government in England and Wales is set to undertake a major overhaul of its policing structure, aiming to drastically reduce the current number of police forces. This initiative, described by insiders as the most significant reform in decades, will be officially unveiled next week by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. She is expected to announce a plan to cut down the existing 43 police forces to a considerably smaller number, directing their efforts primarily towards battling serious and organised crime. Police leaders have advocated for the consolidation into 12 large-scale “mega forces” to optimize financial resources and enhance crime-fighting capabilities.
Officials anticipate that the implementation of these changes will be gradual, possibly taking until the end of the next parliamentary term, around 2034, to be fully realized. Mahmood’s forthcoming proposal will critique the current policing framework as overly bureaucratic and costly, noting that many forces maintain their own headquarters and administrative teams, which contributes to inefficiency. There is also concern among ministers about the inconsistent performance of local forces across England, particularly regarding their limited capacity to address serious crime and major incidents.
The planned reforms include establishing larger police forces that concentrate on intricate offenses such as murder, drug trafficking, and organised crime. Additionally, the government intends to create new Local Policing Areas in every borough, town, or city. These smaller units will prioritize neighbourhood policing, working closely with communities to tackle “local crime” like shoplifting, phone theft, and drug-related issues. Government insiders have acknowledged what they describe as an “epidemic of everyday offences” that frequently go unpunished, partly due to delays in police response times. A government source emphasized, “Where you live will no longer determine the outcomes you get from your force.”
While the exact number of forces under the new structure has not been specified and will be determined through an independent review, the concept of merging police forces is not new. Similar proposals date back over two decades, including an earlier suggestion by former Home Secretary Charles Clarke to streamline forces into 12 units. Scotland underwent a comparable merger in 2013, consolidating its forces into the single body known as Police Scotland. The Home Secretary’s supporters frame these reforms as part of a broader “modernising agenda,” with a source commenting, “For decades, people have called for forces to be merged. Mahmood is a politician who is not scared of bold reform and a political fight.”
Reactions among policing officials have been mixed but generally supportive of change. Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, highlighted the need for policing to evolve alongside changes in crime and technology. He expressed optimism: “I know the home secretary shares this ambition. We look forward to seeing the government’s white paper and working with them to ensure policing delivers outstanding results and rebuilds confidence with the communities we serve.” Conversely, the Policing Federation, representing officers from various ranks, urged caution, stating that fewer police forces do not automatically translate into better policing for communities. They stressed the importance of investing in skills, capabilities, and equipment, insisting that reform must be evidence-based and strengthen frontline and specialist roles rather than focusing solely on cost-cutting
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