Devon and Cornwall Chief Constable backs policing reform plans but urges caution over force mergers

Devon and Cornwall Police Chief Constable James Vaughan QPM has welcomed the Government’s new police reform white paper, describing it as a long-awaited overhaul of a model he says was designed for a very different era of crime.

Speaking at the recent Police and Crime Panel meeting, the Chief Constable said he supported the proposals set out in the white paper, titled ‘From local to national: a new model for policing’, which outlines an ambitious programme of national changes, including the creation of a new National Police Service (NPS) and a major review of the number of police forces in England and Wales.

The meeting also saw the panel accept the Police and Crime Commissioner’s budget proposals for the next financial year, backed by supporting statements from both the Chief Constable and the Treasurer.

The PCC’s budget includes a proposed rise in the police element of council tax of £15 a year for an average Band B and D property.

The Government’s white paper sets out plans to establish a National Police Service (NPS), bringing together existing national bodies to deliver specialist capabilities to forces across the country and respond to evolving threats.

It also proposes an independent review of the number of police forces in England and Wales, which is expected to lead to a significant reduction in the number of forces through mergers.

Chief Constable Vaughan said he had been calling for reform for years, citing the changing nature of crime and the growing demand on police resources.

He said: “Along with other Chief Constables, I have been calling for a significant police reform for a number of years and I am grateful to the Government for listening to us. Our current policing model was designed in the 1960s and where 90 percent of today’s crime has a digital element, the model does need to better reflect the world we now live in.

“We now face serious threats that are more resource intensive to tackle the most serious crimes such as child sexual abuse and drug smuggling, often both national and sometimes international in scale and more complex in nature.

“There is far more that forces could do together to focus our resources where they are most needed. For example, on issues such as procurement and purchasing for items like laptops, phones and uniform. Currently we have a complicated arrangement of regional collaborations, national agencies and funding streams which can sometimes be both inefficient and ineffective.”

While supporting the idea of reducing the number of forces, Chief Constable Vaughan said any changes must not come at the expense of local policing or frontline resources.

He said: “I remain a strong advocate for fewer forces that are larger in scale, but it is vital that these retain a local flavour and are held locally accountable through their governance.

“I will always be an advocate for the communities of Devon and Cornwall and I am committed to ensuring that any potential merger with other forces benefits them and that will always be my main focus.

“Any changes must maintain or bolster resources on the frontline and benefit local policing. We must retain adequate resources across our two counties retaining officer numbers and local focus and that will continue to be my position throughout the coming months.

“The creation of larger forces brings benefits such as collaboration and better national decision making, but we must not lose the fundamental benefits of good local policing dealing with the issues that matter to the people of Devon and Cornwall. It is essential that we preserve and protect the links we have with our communities that can only be achieved by good local knowledge that empowers local policing.

“I will continue working with NPCC, Chief Constables and our partners as the white paper goes through the parliamentary process whilst understanding, along with the PCC, the impact of the proposals.”

The reforms are expected to be debated further as the white paper progresses through Parliament, with police leaders and commissioners across the country assessing what the changes could mean for local forces and governance.