London police chief calls for 'mega' forces to cut costs DW 07/06/2025
Briefly

Mark Rowley, the commissioner of London's Metropolitan Police, urged for significant reforms within the UK's policing framework, noting it has been inadequate for over twenty years. He advocates for consolidating the 43 police forces into 12-15 regional units to enhance efficiency. Rowley highlighted the struggles with budget cuts and emphasized the need for investment in technology to tackle modern crime effectively. He called for a national policing body to optimize resource allocation and staff utilization, which remains critical in light of financial limitations faced by law enforcement across the UK.
Mark Rowley stated, "The [current policing] model has not been fit for purpose for at least two decades," emphasizing the need for significant reforms in the UK's police system.
Rowley proposed reducing the 43 police forces in England and Wales to 12-15 regional forces, citing that many are "too small to operate" effectively amid rising governance costs.
He criticized the political prioritization of maintaining officer numbers over technological investments, arguing that this policy "hinders the effective confrontation of today's threats" from modern criminals.
Rowley called for the establishment of a national policing body to better utilize police staff and allocate resources, aiming for improvements amidst the financial constraints faced by police forces.
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