NPCC positions on joint police procurement and force mergers

She said:

“We've dealt with cuts of 25 per cent in Government grant in the last five years and are set for further cuts of 25-40 per cent.  We’re likely to have lost around 70,000 police posts by 2020.  This means we have to make fundamental changes to the way we police otherwise we will fail in our service to the public and unacceptably stress our staff. 

“Improving the way we procure equipment and services will save us some money, as will sharing more within and outside policing – so more collaboration between forces, within regions or through joint teams with other agencies like social services.  But they won’t solve the problem alone.  We are working with others with a stake in policing to develop a medium term for how policing needs to transform and work with other parts of the public sector.

“With regard to mergers, most would agree that fewer forces is the best option, but if the desire is to maintain 43 then forces will need to collaborate more - between two forces, at a regional level or through joint teams with other agencies like social services. Collaboration is already happening: there are numerous examples of sharing staff, buildings and equipment, some with other organisations and some with other police forces. Two thirds of forces are already co-located with other organisations or have plans to do so.  The process would be helped by there being a new statutory provision that allows forces that want to work together to amalgamate.”

ENDS