COTTINGHAM – Humberside’s Police and Crime Commissioner has warned against police force mergers as major reforms to policing in England and Wales are considered.
Jonathan Evison raised the concern in his response to the latest State of Policing report from His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary.
The Government has commissioned a review of police force structures which is considering the creation of fewer, larger forces and potential mergers.
There is currently no confirmed proposal to merge or abolish Humberside Police, which serves Hull, the East Riding, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire.
However, Mr Evison said he was concerned about the direction of the reforms.
He said: “While I am concerned that police force mergers seriously risk policing becoming more remote from communities and weaken local accountability, I will strive to protect Humberside Police’s strong performance and ensure accountability and community priorities remain central to any future national model.”
Mr Evison also argued that the proposed changes were at odds with the Government’s wider devolution agenda.
His comments came as he welcomed Humberside Police’s performance in areas including neighbourhood policing, public contact and response.
He said the force had some of the best call answer and response times in the country, while investment in officer numbers, neighbourhood policing, partnership working, tackling anti-social behaviour and vulnerability was delivering results.
The Commissioner said his scrutiny of Chief Constable Paul Anderson would continue to focus on areas highlighted in the report, including investigation quality, outcomes for victims, workforce resilience and digital transformation.
For now, Humberside Police remains a standalone force, but the national review means the future structure of policing in the region is under consideration.