"Labour has announced wholesale changes to policing with a pledge to increase crime fighting, but faces warnings that at its heart is an unprecedented centralisation of powers. Shabana Mahmood said policing in England and Wales was the last public service to survive unreformed for 50 years, despite being too costly and failing in parts. After a week of headlines outlining the overhaul, the details of the white paper revealed the crown jewel measures were years away from being seen, if at all."
"Peter Fahy, a former chief constable of Greater Manchester police, told the Guardian an NPS made sense but carried dangers if overseen by unscrupulous politicians. I worry if a future government makes the head a political appointment and directs it to focus on illegal immigrants or a particular racial group it suits them to blame, we could end up with a Minnesota situation where local politicians and the local chief are against the deployment and see other priorities, he said."
Labour proposes sweeping policing reforms to increase crime-fighting and centralise powers. A National Police Service (NPS) is planned to take on counter-terrorism, possibly becoming the home of that function by 2029. Officials aim for the bill to become law by 2027, but mergers of the 43 local forces are projected to complete only by 2034, with one or two pilot mergers by 2029. The home secretary would regain the power to sack chief constables and set crime-fighting and service targets, prompting warnings about politicisation of operational independence. Concerns emphasise the need for robust oversight to prevent misuse of powers against migrants or specific racial groups.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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