The president of the Police Superintendents' Association has called for a drastic reduction in the number of police forces in England and Wales, from 43 to as few as 10, in order to save money and improve efficiency. Irene Curtis argued that the current structure, unchanged for 40 years, wastes millions of pounds on senior leadership positions that could be redirected to frontline policing.
Speaking ahead of the association's annual conference, Curtis highlighted that some forces are already forming strategic alliances, effectively merging in all but name, but are prevented by legislation from reducing the number of chief constables and deputy chief constables. She pointed to Scotland's merger of eight forces into one, which is expected to save £1.1 billion, with no noticeable difference in local policing.
However, Policing Minister Mike Penning opposed compulsory mergers, warning they would reduce the quality of neighbourhood policing. He argued that current reforms are working and that collaboration between forces can achieve savings without sacrificing local accountability. The previous Labour government's attempt to merge forces was abandoned due to high initial costs and accountability concerns.
Association of Chief Police Officers president Sir Hugh Orde supported a review, stating that current force boundaries are 'invisible to criminals and terrorists' and that amalgamation would be more efficient than increased collaboration. Steve White of the Police Federation also backed the idea, but stressed the need for public consultation and no reduction in service levels.
