Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne OBE has hit out at government plans to merge police forces into giant “super-forces”. She warns bigger isn’t always better – and could wreck local policing.
Local Police ‘Too Big to Manage’
Reacting to the proposals announced this week, Bourne said Britain’s current police force model is “envied and admired the world over.” But she fears merging forces risks making policing “too big to manage, too important to fail and too cumbersome and dispersed to be held truly accountable or relatable.”
She pointed to examples like Police Scotland and the Metropolitan Police, which have struggled with local crime and faced calls for break-ups. Bourne admitted shared tech and equipment are useful but stressed national bodies like Bluelight Commercial and the Police Digital Service already cover that ground.
Community Trust at Risk
Bourne warned the plan, pushed from Westminster, could break the vital bond between police and local communities. She said:
“Trust in policing begins with feeling that your police force is drawn from the community it serves. Breaking that local relationship risks undoing the trust and confidence that county constabularies have developed with residents and businesses.”
She slammed past target-driven policing models that turned forces into reactive “firefighters”, gutting neighbourhood policing. Bourne praised locally elected PCCs for restoring transparency and community focus.
Funding Fears and Secret Plans
Funding is another headache. Bourne warned super-forces would need new police funding rules. Currently, local taxpayers often cover over 60% of budgets in some areas. She fears a “National Police Service in all but name” would prioritise bureaucracy over public service, sidelining frontline issues like neighbourhood policing, antisocial behaviour, and road safety.
She also blasted the lack of public input on the plan. “The fact that the planning for these force mergers has been conducted out of public sight and without input or challenge from those currently responsible for police governance, shows that Ministers and Chief Constables are nervous about how these massive changes will land with the public.”
Bourne closed with a stark warning about rushing reforms, especially alongside local authority shake-ups:
“Reform in haste, repent at leisure. A National Police Service in the hands of extremists and populists has a worrying historical echo to it.”
She insists modern police reform must uphold local accountability, strong neighbourhood policing, and public trust.
