In a sweeping move set to reshape law enforcement across England and Wales, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is poised to unveil the most significant overhaul of policing in decades next week. The reforms, expected to be announced on Monday, will drastically reduce the number of police forces from the current total of 43, marking a historic shift in how crime is tackled nationwide.
A New Era for Policing
Government sources have indicated that the changes are driven by a need to address what they describe as "an epidemic of everyday offences". Under the new structure, the overall number of forces will be slashed, with the remaining entities tasked with focusing on serious and organised crime, alongside complex investigations such as homicides. This move aims to centralise resources for high-level criminal activities, ensuring a more robust response to major incidents.
Local Policing Areas to Take Centre Stage
At the grassroots level, each town, city, and borough will be organised into "local policing areas". These areas will see neighbourhood officers dedicated to combating local crime, including shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. This dual approach is designed to balance national priorities with community-focused enforcement, providing a tailored response to crime at all levels.
Ms Mahmood is understood to believe that the current system, where each of the 43 forces maintains separate headquarters and administrative staff, is inefficient and wastes funds that could be better spent on frontline crime-fighting. By merging back-office functions, the reforms are expected to generate significant savings, which will be reinvested into hiring more police officers and enhancing operational capabilities.
Addressing Performance Disparities
The overhaul also seeks to address stark differences in performance between police forces. Ministers have expressed concerns that smaller forces often lack the resources to effectively tackle major incidents. A Government source highlighted the case of Wiltshire Police, which required support from 40 other forces during the Salisbury poisonings in 2018, as well as vast disparities in charge rates for certain offences across regions.
"Under this new structure, all forces – regardless of where they are – will have the tools and resources they need to fight serious crime," the source stated. "Where you live will no longer determine the outcomes you get from your force."
Implementation Timeline and Challenges
However, the changes will not be immediate. The mergers are only expected to be completed by the end of the next Parliament, around the mid-2030s, indicating a phased and lengthy implementation process. The exact number of forces that will remain post-reform, along with their locations, is yet to be determined and will be subject to an independent review.
This is not the first time such cuts have been proposed. In March 2006, then-Labour home secretary Charles Clarke announced plans to reduce the number of police forces to 24. However, his proposals were abandoned just four months later by his successor, John Reid, after the proposed merger of Lancashire and Cumbria police forces collapsed and senior officers opposed the idea.
Political Reactions and Support
Allies of Ms Mahmood have emphasised her commitment to the reforms, describing the Home Secretary as "a moderniser" who is "not scared of bold reform and a political fight". They argue that the changes are necessary to modernise policing and improve efficiency in the face of evolving criminal threats.
In contrast, Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp has criticised the plans, stating there is "no evidence" that merging police forces will cut crime or enhance performance. "Top-down reorganisation risks undermining efforts to fight crime, inevitably leading to centralised control that will hit towns and villages across the country hardest," he said. "The biggest force, the Met, has the lowest crime solving rates and falling police numbers. Big is not necessarily better."
As the debate unfolds, the proposed reforms represent a pivotal moment for policing in the UK, with potential long-term implications for crime prevention, resource allocation, and community safety. The success of this overhaul will likely depend on careful planning, stakeholder engagement, and a clear focus on outcomes for the public.
