Northamptonshire police commissioner warns county could lose out under plans for regional ‘super forces’

Northamptonshire could lose police resources to larger urban areas if controversial proposals to replace England and Wales' 43 police forces with nine regional 'super forces' go ahead, the county's police commissioner has warned.

Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone has raised serious concerns about the potential shake-up, arguing that bigger forces would weaken local accountability without necessarily improving policing.

The proposals have emerged ahead of the publication of a policing review commissioned by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has advocated major changes to the current structure, but Ms Stone believes any reform must be supported by evidence.

She said: “Large, regional police forces would take decision making and accountability away from local communities.

“That is the opposite to what people tell me they want, which is a police service that is visible, accessible and understands local issues.”

Ms Stone questioned whether merging forces would help tackle increasingly complex crime or address existing pressures on police resources.

She warned that Northamptonshire could be particularly vulnerable if funding and officers were concentrated in larger cities.

The commissioner also raised concerns about the potential cost of restructuring, suggesting reforms on the scale being advocated could cost £1 billion.

She argued that money would be better directed towards properly funding existing police services and strengthening frontline community policing.

However, Ms Stone acknowledged that greater regional collaboration could have benefits, particularly as mayoral areas elsewhere gain access to additional resources.

She said any mergers should align with mayoral boundaries and ensure police, fire, health, probation and local authority services operate across the same geographical areas.

“Safer, stronger communities only come about when local authorities, probation, health, police and fire services are working together, seamlessly,” she said.

“There must be no gaps between services that can be exploited by organised crime.”

Ms Stone insisted that any changes must be affordable, properly funded and designed around the needs of local communities.

She also warned against using existing police budgets to pay for restructuring.

“There is always a place for change, but policing reform must be based on the evidence of what works, affordable and build on the strong local connection that people have with their police,” she said.

The Government's review findings have yet to be published.