Clarke calls for radical reform of police

Tuesday, 20 September 2005 12:00 AM

The home secretary has called for a radical reform of the policing service that would see the existing 43 police forces merged into larger "strategic forces".

Charles Clarke outlined his plans in a speech to the annual conference of the Police Superintendents' Association of England and Wales.

The proposals are in response to a HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) report published last week that found the current structure was no longer suitable in the 21st century.

"It is clear that policing needs to change if it is to meet the challenges of the modern world," Mr Clarke said.

He said the HMIC report indicated current forces were simply "too small" to meet the challenges of terrorism, international drug trafficking and financial crime.

Mr Clarke envisages changes on four levels, from the neighbourhood community level, through the creation of "strategic forces" at a regional level, to the modernisation of structures at the national level.

He said he wanted to see greater local accountability, with police teams responsible for an area the size of two local wards. "This will allow residents to influence the policing in their areas so the crimes they are most worried about are dealt with," he said.

On the other end of the scale, he said the it was simply not possible to carry on "doing things 43 different ways", and so some police forces would have to be merged.

"I am now asking the leadership of every police force in the country to respond to the challenges set out by the HMIC report and make their proposals for the best way to create this new strategic framework. I am confident that the challenge will be met professionally and speedily," Mr Clarke said.

But the move is controversial and could mean some top officers will lose their jobs.

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