Met Police chief calls for force merger and national service

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley is calling for a fundamental restructuring of policing across England and Wales, warning that the current system is failing to keep pace with evolving criminal threats. He proposes merging the existing 43 police forces into a smaller number of eight to ten regional bodies, supported by local commands, and establishing a new National Police Service dedicated to counter-terrorism and serious organised crime.

Sir Mark stated that the current fragmented model, with its bureaucratic layers, leads to duplication and prevents officers from focusing on frontline duties. He described the existing structure as 'creaking' and insufficient to combat the complexity and sophistication of modern criminality, including increased fraud, online child abuse, and cyber threats. He warned that without significant change, police will continue to fall behind criminals.

Support for reform

The proposed reforms echo sentiments previously expressed by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who stated in January that the current policing model, largely unchanged for six decades, is 'no longer fit for purpose'. She noted that some forces are too small to effectively manage complex investigations or major incidents. The reforms are understood to have ministerial backing.

Financial pressures on the Met

Sir Mark also highlighted significant financial pressures facing the Metropolitan Police. He indicated that the force requires several hundred million pounds more to cover its capital responsibilities, which include essential infrastructure and equipment upgrades. He stated that the Met has seen a reduction of 4,000 officers in its headcount, exacerbating the challenges of dealing with increasingly complex crime reports.

During a recent exchange with the London Assembly, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, stated that the Met Police has received an additional £373 million from central government over the past three years. However, he acknowledged that this funding is not sufficient to fully address the losses incurred over the previous 14 years, which led to decisions such as the closure of police stations.