WIREDGOV

In response to the Government’s proposals to introduce police force mergers, APCC Vice Chair, PCC Matthew Scott, and PCC Clare Moody, recently said: 

“Experience shows that the creation of regional forces would be expensive, time consuming and complex to deliver and has the potential to delay, or even derail, the ambitious reform commitments made in the White Paper.

“The public want neighbourhood policing. There is no evidence to suggest the public would welcome regional forces and in terms of public accountability, it also risks creating a separation between police forces and the local communities they serve. It could make responding to local policing and crime needs more difficult and may remove the link between local taxpayers and the police they increasingly directly fund through the policing precept.

“Financial savings from creating much larger force areas could be outweighed by the very significant set-up costs.”