Home Secretary warned plans to chop police forces throughout the nation might be a ‘catastrophe’ and ‘is not going to assure higher policing’
Shabana Mahmood was told on Saturday night that her plans to cut police forces in England and Wales could be a ‘disaster’.
Veteran officers warned that a similar scheme in Scotland a decade ago led to asset-stripping and local policing being abandoned.
The Home Secretary has said that 43 police forces will be reduced to 12 ‘mega forces’ in a bid to cut bureaucracy and cost.
On Monday, she will announce the creation of a national police force that will merge counter-terrorism policing, the National Crime Agency and regional organised crime units as well as other specialist services.
The chief of the new National Police Service will become the most senior police officer in the country, replacing the Commissioner of the Met Police.
Also under the reforms, which will be published in a long-awaited white paper, officers will need a licence to work.
But former and current police officers in Scotland have warned that the SNP’s bungled merger of eight police forces into one led to asset-stripping – such as buildings being sold off – and local policing being abandoned.
They warned the same ‘disaster’ awaits England and Wales. One retired Scottish officer said: ‘Police reform came with the promise of mobile specialist units to solve murders and serious sexual crimes, but the key driver was the desire to save £1billion.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood (pictured) has said that 43 police forces will be reduced to 12 ‘mega forces’ in a bid to cut bureaucracy and cost
‘It took at least ten years to develop an IT system allowing officers access to the system outside of their area.’
Gary Cunningham, who retired as a detective chief superintendent in 2021, said a ‘blanket approach’ was taken, despite the huge differences in types of crime by area.
He added: ‘There were improvements in the investigation of major crimes, but local policing was lost.’
Ms Mahmood has insisted local policing will be expanded, with almost 2,400 additional officers brought into neighbourhood policing, and 13,000 more promised by the end of this Parliament.
But on Saturday night, a Police Federation spokesman said: ‘Fewer forces doesn’t guarantee more or better policing for communities.
‘Any proposals must be driven by evidence and best practice, not lowest cost, and must strengthen rather than weaken front-line, investigative and specialist capability, neighbourhood policing and public confidence.’
