Survey finds majority oppose police service merger

A survey carried out by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) found that almost three-quarters of respondents oppose proposals for the force to merge with another police service.

The findings have prompted Commissioner Hernandez to write to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood expressing what she describes as "deep concern" over the potential impact of police reform proposals on policing across the South West.

In her letter, published on the OPCC website, the commissioner warns that incorporating Devon and Cornwall Police into a larger organisation could reduce service standards, leave rural communities under-resourced and affect safeguarding, road safety, neighbourhood policing and public accountability.

More than 1,600 people responded to the consultation, which asked whether residents supported police mergers, how a larger force might be structured and what benefits or risks such proposals could bring.

The results showed that 72 per cent opposed a merger, while 23 per cent supported the idea.

Opposition was strongest in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, where 78.6 per cent of respondents were against a merger, followed by Plymouth and Torbay, where 77 per cent opposed the proposals.

The findings also mirror the results of the OPCC's annual Your Safety, Your Say survey conducted earlier this year, in which 66 per cent of respondents said they wanted Devon and Cornwall Police to remain an independent force. Fewer than one in five respondents (18 per cent) supported the creation of a regional South West police force.

Similar consultations elsewhere in England have also shown widespread public opposition to police mergers, including 68 per cent in Hertfordshire, 57 per cent in West Mercia and 83 per cent in Kent.

The latest survey found that more than half of respondents could not support any merger option, while a similar proportion said they could see no benefits from merging with another force.

Among those expressing concerns, the most frequently identified risks were the loss of local focus, reduced local knowledge and slower responsiveness.

Respondents who did identify potential benefits most commonly cited stronger specialist policing capabilities, possible efficiency savings and greater consistency across larger force areas.

However, the survey also found that most respondents did not believe a larger police force would improve emergency response times, police visibility, crime investigations or public accountability.

Commissioner Hernandez said: "The public have delivered a very clear message. People across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly value local policing and do not want decisions about their communities taken further away from the places they live.

"Residents have told us they are particularly concerned about losing local knowledge, local focus and the responsiveness that they expect from their police service.

"These findings are also consistent with views expressed through our previous surveys and with consultation results emerging from other parts of the country.

"Devon & Cornwall Police already covers one of the largest geographical policing areas in England. It serves urban, rural, coastal and island communities with very different needs, and people have made it clear they do not want those local priorities diluted.

"I am asking the Home Office to ensure residents' views are clearly represented in any future decisions about the structure of policing by undertaking meaningful engagement with communities, elected representatives, public and private sector leaders."

The debate follows renewed discussions nationally about police reform and whether larger strategic forces could deliver greater efficiency and resilience. While no formal proposal affecting Devon and Cornwall Police has been announced, the government has indicated it is considering reforms to public services as part of wider devolution and public sector efficiency programmes.

The prospect of merging Devon and Cornwall Police with another force is not new. Nearly a decade ago, proposals to combine Devon and Cornwall Police with Dorset Police were explored, with consultation at the time showing considerably lower support in Cornwall than elsewhere in the two force areas. Although that proposal focused on improving operational resilience and achieving financial savings, it was ultimately not pursued.

Devon and Cornwall Police currently polices one of the largest geographical areas in England, covering more than 4,000 square miles and serving around 1.8 million residents across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, as well as millions of visitors each year.

In her letter to the Home Secretary, Commissioner Hernandez has requested assurances that any future business case for police restructuring will include a detailed assessment of the costs, benefits and risks for individual areas, as well as the potential impact on protected groups before any decisions are made.