Police reform: Mayors push back on merger plans

Residents in English cities face potential changes in how local police are managed as mayors challenge plans to merge existing forces. The debate centers on whether to reduce the current 43 police forces into a smaller number of regional organizations. Local leaders argue that such consolidation weakens the oversight that mayors currently exercise over their jurisdictions.

Metropolitan police commissioner Mark Rowley called on Friday to replace the existing structure with between eight and 10 forces. He stated that policing would fail without fundamental change. Rowley argued that reform would reinforce neighborhood policing by providing local officers with wider support to tackle international criminal networks. Other chief constables, including Stephen Watson of Greater Manchester, supported the reform. Watson noted that duplication across 43 headquarters, leadership teams, and IT systems creates a strong financial case for change.

Mayors and police and crime commissioners have criticized Rowley’s proposal. Steve Rotheram, mayor of Liverpool city region, said absorbing local forces into regional bodies would centralize power and conflict with devolution. Sadiq Khan, London mayor, is also understood to fear consequences for accountability and neighborhood policing. One specific change under consideration would see the Metropolitan police absorb the smaller City of London force responsible for the square mile.

Home secretary Shabana Mahmood announced plans in January for a substantial reduction in force numbers. She commissioned former Metropolitan police commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe to conduct a review. The findings of that review remain unpublished, but it is understood to consider models involving between nine and 18 forces. Many mayors favor matching police jurisdictions to mayoral boundaries to allow for greater oversight, rather than creating forces that cover major cities and extensive rural areas.

Bev Craig, mayor of Greater Manchester, said she would press the government to reject Rowley’s most extensive proposals. She pointed to the benefits of local accountability within suitable geographical boundaries. Andy Burnham is believed to favor giving mayors consistent boundaries and oversight of chief constables, reflecting the approach used in Manchester. An unnamed mayor expected the prime minister to choose a compromise based on mayoral regions. This outcome would roughly halve the number of forces while retaining around twice the number proposed by Rowley.

David Skaith, mayor of York and North Yorkshire, warned that the proposals threatened local policing. He challenged Rowley’s authority to present a model of policing excellence, citing the Metropolitan police’s record. Kim McGuinness, mayor of North-east England, defended locally accountable forces. She cautioned against dismantling a longstanding policing structure and questioned whether the Met’s own difficulties put its leadership in a position to instruct northern forces.

Senior police sources said the Treasury would provide no additional funding for law enforcement. Hopes for improved resources rest on reforms eventually releasing hundreds of millions of pounds for frontline officers and outdated technology upgrades.