"The structure of our police forces, is, if we are honest, irrational. We have loaded critical functions like the national police air service and vetting onto local forces, drawing attention away from neighbourhood policing, she said. We have 43 forces tackling criminal gangs who cross borders, and the disparities in performance enforces across the country have grown far too wide, giving truth to the old saw that policing in this country is a postcode lottery."
"She said the adoption of new technology is piecemeal and that many forces are dependent on the same systems that have been used for decades. Ms Mahmood said the government's upcoming white paper will set out her plans including the creation of a new National Centre for Policing first announced last year and wider police reform. The detail will follow, she added."
A major overhaul of the police structure in England and Wales is being signalled to address the irrational configuration of 43 forces. National functions such as the national police air service and vetting are loaded onto local forces, diverting attention from neighbourhood policing and contributing to unequal performance and a postcode lottery. Adoption of new technology is piecemeal, with many forces dependent on decades-old systems. Forces face a £1.2 billion budget shortfall. A forthcoming white paper will set out plans, including creating a National Centre for Policing and wider reforms prioritising performance, scrutiny, and preserved operational independence.
Read at www.independent.co.uk
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