Policing reform: Review advises cutting English forces to nine
A government-commissioned report recommends replacing the current 39 forces with regional super forces to streamline operations and reduce costs.
By Layla Fontaine ·
Lord Paul Hogan-Howe, former commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, has concluded that the number of police forces in England should be reduced from 39 to as few as nine. The review, commissioned by the government, recommends creating larger regional entities to oversee local policing units. The report was completed in September and submitted to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
The proposal suggests establishing a single force for Wales alongside the nine regional forces in England. These new bodies would sit above more than 150 local policing units, which would continue to handle most neighborhood crime. Government sources indicate the report is expected to be published before Christmas. A white paper is anticipated in the new year to formalize the changes.
The review proposes a range of nine to 18 larger forces, a reduction from the current 43 forces in England and Wales. Abolishing most existing forces is viewed as essential by the review and several police chiefs, including Mark Rowley, the current Metropolitan Police commissioner. They warn that the government may delay the most radical restructuring of policing in seven decades.
Delays in the process are linked to the devolution agenda of Andy Burnham, who aims to rewire the state and reform local government. Some new forces would be accountable to mayors, while others would fall under mayors covering only part of their area or none at all. One police source expressed concern that Burnham may want to align new structures with mayors, potentially resulting in 20 or more forces. The source stated, "That is not a radical enough change."
Mark Rowley will address an event in Manchester on Friday alongside Greater Manchester's chief constable, Sir Stephen Watson. The gathering, titled "The cost of standing still is that criminals will win," aims to press for fewer forces. However, some chief constables have expressed annoyance at the Metropolitan Police-organized event and remain skeptical of reducing the number to nine.
Under the proposed plans, larger forces would manage major crimes, such as murders and serious sexual violence, as well as public order. They would also handle expensive back-office functions like human resources, which are currently run separately by each of the 43 forces. A new nationwide National Police Service would sit above these forces, serving as the home for counter-terrorism and serious organized crime. An advertisement for its commissioner is expected early in the new year.
None of the new forces are likely to exceed the size of the Metropolitan Police, which serves nine million people in London. Hogan-Howe first publicly supported a reduction to nine forces 12 years ago. The changes could create a vast south-east England force stretching from the London borders to the southern coast. A north-west force would run from the Mersey to the Pennines, covering Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and Lancashire while absorbing smaller forces such as Cheshire and Cumbria.
Supporters argue that the current model, overseen by 43 police and crime commissioners the government plans to abolish, is too slow and creates inconsistent outcomes for crime victims. Opposition persists among some leaders. One chief constable noted, "Everyone knows 43 forces have to go. But the return on investment could take five or six years." Another chief constable worried that a super force would cover such a huge area that leadership might not know the personnel, stating, "I worry about it being too big."
Matthew Scott, the Conservative police and crime commissioner for Kent, criticized the plan, saying, "They will spend a great deal of time tearing up the fabric of policing for a suboptimal outcome." Another police leader questioned the evidence that bigger forces are better, noting that large forces like the Met, Greater Manchester, and West Midlands have recently been put into special measures and seen their chiefs ousted. The white paper will enable the mass abolition and creation of forces, though some leaders favor voluntary mergers.
Scotland and Northern Ireland are each covered by a single force. The Hogan-Howe review studied the creation of national forces in Scotland and the Netherlands. Ministers believe the review avoided past errors by deciding who would deliver local and neighborhood policing before setting up national bodies.
