England proposes reducing number of police forces to nine — The Guardian
In England, an independent review commissioned by the government has recommended reducing the number of police forces from 39 to at least nine larger regional structures. As The Guardian reports, the document was prepared by former London police commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe, but it has not yet been published.
Regional forces and local units
According to the publication, the creation of nine regional police forces in England and one in Wales is being considered. They would operate above more than 150 local units, which would carry out the bulk of crime-fighting work in communities.
According to several Guardian sources, the report sets out a range of between nine and 18 larger forces in the new model. Such structures could be responsible for investigating serious crimes, including murders and serious sexual violence, maintaining public order, and administrative functions currently performed separately by all 43 forces in England and Wales.
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National Police Service
Above the regional structures, the government plans to create a nationwide National Police Service. It is intended to become the centre for counterterrorism activities and the fight against serious and organised crime. An announcement seeking a commissioner for the service is expected at the beginning of next year.
The Hogan-Howe review was completed in September and handed to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. Government sources told the publication that it is planned to be published before Christmas, with a “white paper” on the reform to be presented next year.
There is no unified position among police leaders on the scale of the changes. Some support voluntary mergers, while the future “white paper,” according to The Guardian, may provide for the compulsory abolition of existing forces and the creation of new ones. Some police chiefs also fear that excessively large structures will be difficult to manage effectively.
