STOP POLICE FORCE MERGERS

This is all part of the governments' sneaky measures to break Britain into managable regions for the EU.  Nothing will be gained by these mergers except to isolate the police further from the public.  Advocates for the mergers say that there is poor communication between forces and smaller forces are not equipped to deal with major investigations.  A suggestion: improve communication and co-operation.

It is estimated these mergers will cost up to 600 million pounds.  The government assured local authorities that the money will be met from central government so that the public wouldn't have to meet the cost by council tax rises.  EXCUSE ME: whose money does the government have?  The government is bribing police forces to accept by December 23rd by offering them bonuses.

Write NOW to your MP and your local Chief Constable to voice your disapproval.  Tomorrow may be too late and there will be another nail in our coffin.   

This link shows how the forces are already neatly in regions.  The proposed mergers will remove the county forces, leaving only regional forces The UK Police Service - Police Forces .  Here you will find your present local police force and by putting that in your browser can identify your Chief Constable. 

Your local MP can be found here: alcm | Houses of Parliament

The Observer | Politics | Police blow whistle on plans for 'super-forces'

Police Force Mergers - Letters

Force amalgamation is about imposing 'regions'

Sir - The scheme of amalgamation of police forces is demonstrably less about the efficiency and acceptability of police services than the imposition of the ghastly "regions" by which the Government is determined to destroy the pattern of our beloved country.

As has been pointed out, the refusal to countenance the obvious compatibility of Durham and Northumberland has been ruled out because they have been allocated to different regions.

Everything is being rushed, with no proper review. At the time of the last round of slimming-down in the late 1960s, the relevant statute provided for inquiries to be held by an independent person, usually a Queen's Counsel. I conducted the inquiry into the proposed join-up of the North Yorkshire and Teesside forces.

We sat for a week in Northallerton from 10am to 5pm each day. Every aspect was explored in detail in evidence and argument. Then, until 10pm, with counsel and any interested parties, I visited the headquarters and large and small stations in both forces.

All questions were fully and, I believe, fairly thrashed out. I produced my report in less than two months. The Home Secretary, James Callaghan, a just man, considered it and no doubt took further advice. He decided that the two forces should remain independent, as they have done to this
day. The inquiry had established that, although it is always possible to present spurious arguments for "efficiency", amalgamation would have been unwelcome to the police and hated by the public. The two areas were as different (except for a common language) as England and France.

Why are we having no proper inquiries as then? And why are we allowing this Government of arrogant bullies and vapid second-raters to do such terrible things?

Sir Michael Davies, Kidderminster, Worcs

Telegraph letter

Debate on policing

Sir - Your leading article (Leader, December 20) claims that Parliament has not been allowed a proper debate on police force restructuring. There was an all-day parliamentary debate on restructuring on Monday.

Police forces and authorities have been engaging with the public and seeking their views on the restructuring of police forces for the past three months.

The police have argued that restructuring is necessary to provide the protection we require against organised crime and to ensure the continuing strength of local policing.

Local communities will see a significant improvement in their local police service as a result of the current restructuring. The police will be more responsive and accountable to their local community, not less.

By 2008, each neighbourhood, the size of a couple of local council wards, will have a dedicated team. Every resident will know the name of their local officer, see them on the street and will have their phone
number and e-mail address.

At basic command unit level, the policing team headed by a borough commander will cover an area with the same boundaries as a district council. He will be able to set the policing priorities for the local area reflecting the concerns of local people, and will be fully accountable to the local community.

Charles Clarke, Home Secretary, London SW1

Monday, December 12, 2005

Will you put up with this?


An issue that has Eurosceptics divided has emerged on the front page of the
Daily Telegraph, the vexed question of the rushed re-organisation of the
police into regional forces.  Read More