Think-tank urges police shake-up

Increased collaboration between forces on back office functions and expensive resources is a poor second best to mergers, the Royal United Services Institute said yesterday.

A report in the think-tank's latest Journal said the structure of 52 regional forces was failing because criminals and terrorists did not recognise their borders.

It said policing needed urgent reform to tackle 21st century terrorism and organised crime.

The report highlighted how the issue of police mergers has been brushed over by many politicians because it is not seen as a vote winner.

It said: "It will be for the next government – whoever comes to power – to see the need for this and to generate the political will to actually make it happen.

"Were these changes accepted and implemented, there is little doubt there would be huge future benefits."

Senior police officers already predict post-election belt-tightening will put mergers on the agenda.