Police Force Consolidation Plan Sparks Concerns Over Community Disconnect
The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners has issued a stark warning that sweeping reforms to drastically reduce the number of police forces across England and Wales could prove "complex to deliver" and risk creating a dangerous separation between law enforcement and the communities they are meant to serve. This caution comes as Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood prepares to unveil what is being described as the most significant overhaul of policing structures in decades.
The Proposed Overhaul and Its Rationale
Ms Mahmood is expected to announce on Monday a plan that will slash the current total of 43 separate police forces. Government sources indicate the primary motivation is to combat what they term "an epidemic of everyday offences." The restructured system would see fewer, larger regional forces focusing on serious and organised crime, alongside complex investigations like homicides. At a more localised level, each town, city, and borough would be designated as a "local policing area," with neighbourhood officers concentrating on community-level crimes such as shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.
The Home Secretary has previously labelled the existing structure of 43 forces as "irrational," a view that has found some support among police chiefs who have called for radical reform. The government argues that the current model, with each force maintaining separate headquarters and administrative staff, wastes financial resources that could be better directed towards frontline crime fighting. Merging back-office functions is touted as a key method to generate savings, which could then be reinvested in recruiting more police officers.
Voices of Concern and Criticism
However, the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) has reacted with significant apprehension. PCCs Matthew Scott and Clare Moody articulated their concerns, stating: "The public want neighbourhood policing. There is no evidence to suggest the public would welcome bigger forces and in terms of public accountability, it also risks creating a separation between police forces and the local communities they serve." They emphasised that larger forces could complicate the response to local policing needs and sever the crucial financial link between local taxpayers and the police services they fund through the policing precept.
The APCC further warned that the anticipated financial savings from creating larger force areas "could be outweighed by very significant set-up costs" and contested the underlying principle that bigger forces are inherently better, a notion they claim is not supported by historical performance comparisons.
Political and Institutional Reactions
The proposed reforms have ignited a political debate. Allies of Ms Mahmood have stressed her commitment, describing her as "a moderniser" and "not scared of bold reform and a political fight." In contrast, Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp argued there is "no evidence" that merging forces would reduce crime or improve performance. He cautioned that top-down reorganisation risks undermining crime-fighting efforts, leading to centralised control that could disproportionately affect towns and villages.
The Police Federation of England and Wales offered a measured response, welcoming the Home Secretary's willingness to make difficult decisions but noting that fewer forces "doesn't guarantee more or better" community policing. A spokesperson highlighted that the current structure has entrenched a "postcode lottery" in public service and officer treatment, urging that any proposals must be evidence-driven and strengthen frontline capabilities rather than weaken them.
Historical Context and Implementation Timeline
This is not the first time such consolidation has been proposed. In March 2006, then-Labour home secretary Charles Clarke announced plans to reduce police forces to 24, but these proposals were abandoned by his successor just four months later following failed merger attempts and opposition from senior officers.
The current reforms are expected to be a protracted process, with mergers not anticipated to be completed until the mid-2030s, at the end of the next Parliament. The exact number of forces that will remain, and their geographical boundaries, will be determined by an independent review.
In a related move, ministers have already announced plans to abolish the role of Police and Crime Commissioners in 2028, aiming to save at least £100 million to fund neighbourhood policing. Their responsibilities would instead be assumed by mayors and council leaders.
As the debate intensifies, the central question remains whether the pursuit of efficiency and resource pooling through larger regional forces will come at the unacceptable cost of eroding the vital, trust-based connection between the police and the communities they are sworn to protect.
