Mahmood hints at shake-up of 'irrational' police structure

"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. We have 43 forces tackling criminal gangs who cross borders, and the disparities in performance in forces across the country have grown far too wide, giving truth to the old store that policing in this country is a postcode lottery."

"I was a reformer at the Ministry of Justice. I will be a reformer at the Home Office too."

"that national policing is world class without distracting local forces from neighbourhood policing"

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has signalled potential reorganisation of policing in England and Wales and described the current 43-force structure as irrational. She identified growing disparities in force performance that create a postcode lottery for policing standards. Critical national functions such as the national police air service and vetting are placed on local forces, diverting resources from neighbourhood policing. Some police chiefs favour reducing the number of forces to improve cross-border crime response. The role of Police and Crime Commissioner will be abolished after being judged not to have worked. A White Paper on future policing is due in December.

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