I recently attended a national Police and Crime Commissioner meeting in London and one of the topics covered was the newly-published Police Reform White Paper which I think has some concerning implications for Suffolk contained within it.
There were some sensible ideas discussed which merit serious consideration and, if implemented properly, could improve policing performance and reduce levels of crime. Equally we must all remember the pattern of crime continues to change very rapidly and policing must adapt accordingly – I have seen this at first hand since I was first elected as Police and Crime Commissioner back in 2012.
The paper talks about a national vetting scheme, which I fully support. It has always seemed to me very odd that there is not a national standard for vetting officers, staff and contractors. This is not about reducing standards but taking a more efficient approach – we all know what has happened in some forces when the approach has been sloppy and lackadaisical, and how this damages public trust and confidence. A more national approach to technology would help as I believe there are far too many types of technology platforms so there is very limited national compatibility. And, I really cannot understand why uniforms vary between forces for no good reason, a serious approach should be taken to standardising kit and equipment.
The White Paper is titled, “From local to national” which to me suggests an undesirable centralisation moving back towards a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Indeed, the Home Secretary has aired views calling for a reduction in the number of constabularies from the current 43 to between 10 and 15. Considering there are around six large forces already, and if the four Welsh forces are merged, it is likely to result in Suffolk being subsumed into one of the Home Secretary’s ‘Mega Forces’ made up of perhaps four or more force areas. The risk then is that regardless of what Home Office civil servants and politicians say, the county is left out on a limb and our policing needs become peripheral to the centre and the county becomes less safe.
We are in a relatively very favourable situation as the latest crime data shows that for the last 18 months Suffolk has the third lowest recorded crime rate nationally. One red line that must not be crossed is any reforms imposed must be an improvement on the status quo and supported with clear and unambiguous evidence. Where is the evidence across our public services that big is better? It’s crystal clear to me there are post code lotteries in various organisations such as health and education, we mustn’t let this happen in Suffolk. It seems to me rural counties like Suffolk are treated as second class areas when it comes to allocation of national resources. This is especially galling we pay our dues and taxes accordingly and are net contributors to the nation’s economy.
There are further difficulties to overcome if forces are to merge, the most important of which revolves around money and funding. Each force area has a different level of council tax; Suffolk Constabulary has a minimal financial debt; our force has a sensible policy on monetary reserves; the county receives one of the lowest funding per resident nationally and long-term liabilities vary enormously. Before any changes are made, local taxpayers must know exactly what the pecuniary consequences are so they are not worse off. A sensible approach would be to ask local people what they desire – I would predict this will include better uniformed visibility, excellent emergency response and community-based policing where local people and businesses have a reasonable knowledge of their neighbourhood teams.
The government has in my opinion found itself in a complete muddle regarding accountability and governance for these mega forces. I do not believe having a committee of around a dozen councillors will be anywhere near as effective as the current system. Suffolk is a large county, so how on earth would a solitary committee covering four or more amalgamated force areas have sufficient local knowledge to deliver meaningful accountability and ensuring policing develops its efficiency and effectiveness?
All PCCs are elected and have a substantial democratic mandate which lasts for four years. Appointing a committee of selected members removes any such mandate at a stroke and I really disagree with this imposition as it is fundamentally undemocratic – perhaps this is what the Home Secretary desires.
Finally, we must all fight for what we believe is best for Suffolk and look at matters in the long term. We should demand a full public consultation and there must be comprehensive evidence of why the changes will raise standards and police performance, simultaneously reducing overall crime levels.
Evolution is normally better than revolution - that’s what we should be doing for policing reform in Suffolk. Do not jeopardise what we have already.
Published in Bury Free Press in February 2026