Plans for the biggest reforms to policing in two generations are being drawn up. The idea of police mergers and creating “mega forces” is officially back on the table for the first time in 20 years. Details will be released in a White Paper early in 2026.
Forget the Leadership Review, the Casey findings, the degrees in policing, digital strategies, removal of PCCs, race action plans, or even SIPP promotion changes. This change presents the biggest and most controversial shake up to UK policing in 60 years. And it’s happening sooner than you think!
In this free podcast (accessible to subscribers first) I cover some of the pros and cons of force amalgamations reported recently in the media. See embedded below and link to my podcast archives.
These signal seismic changes to policing in England and Wales, with a significant period of turbulence ahead. As such, it requires strong leadership and for you to stay informed if you’re seeking police promotion…
Move to 12 “Mega-Forces”
News outlets recently reported that the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, plans to merge the current 43 police forces into 12-15 “mega-forces”. It’s part of a delayed White Paper for deeper reforms due in January 2026, including abolishing PCCs and transferring powers back to mayors and Local Authorities by 2028.
“The structure of our police forces is, if we are honest, irrational… We have 43 forces tackling criminal gangs who cross borders, and the disparities in performance in forces across the country have grown far too wide, giving truth to the old story that policing in this country is a postcode lottery.” – Shabana Mahmood, Home Secretary
The White Paper setting out the Government’s plans from January will propose a “generational reform that will have a real impact on efficiencies”. This notion of amalgamation was already hinted at in a conference of police leaders late last month.
At the time, the big news was the scrapping of PCCs by 2028. On reflection, this surprise PCC announcement seems more a calculated means to this far bigger end. From the Government’s perspective, it’s easier to merge forces without the obstacle of PCCs putting a halt to things.
Previous 2006 Labour Proposals & the 1960s Amalgamations
Amalgamations have been tried before, historically with some successes (or at least have had time to settle down) and more recently local plans abandoned due to opposition.
My own local force, Devon and Cornwall Police, entered a ‘strategic alliance’ with Dorset a decade ago. After much rigmarole, a lack of savings made or support from the frontline, it is now quietly ‘de-Alliancing’ most of the functions.
In early 2006, under Labour’s Tony Blair, Home Secretary Charles Clarke proposed a reduction to around 25 regional forces, citing economies of scale, particularly for counter-terrorism and serious crime. Consultations targeted localised mergers like Devon & Cornwall with Dorset, but estimated upfront costs and political backlash, especially from rural MPs fearing urban bias, led to the idea’s abandonment by July 2006.
“My vision for the police service in the 21st century is that it should be close, responsive and accountable to the communities it serves, supported by larger forces with the capacity and specialist expertise to protect the public from wider threats such as serious and organised crime.” – Charles Clarke (Home Secretary speaking in 2006)
The evolution of policing in England and Wales reflects a tension between local autonomy and central efficiency, with previous amalgamations driven by legislation to standardise and streamline services amid changing societal needs. Devon and Cornwall became a joint force in 1967, nearly 60 years ago; under these new plans, it will likely become part of a big ‘South West Regional Police’ force.
The 1960 Royal Commission on Policing, influenced by Home Office centralism, similarly criticised inefficiency in the “patchwork” system. Its report led to the Police Act 1964, slashing forces to 47 in England and Wales (and 20 in Scotland) by subsuming cities into counties.
By 1967 the implementation had created larger entities like Greater Manchester Police. The Local Government Act 1972 then further refined police boundaries, aligning with reorganised counties, to create the 43 territorial forces we know today. The following decades, including the ideas of the ‘noughties’, saw failed ambitions for additional consolidation… except in Scotland.
Police Scotland: Insights and Learning
Police Scotland formed in April 2013 and is the biggest most recent example, merging eight regional police forces and two specialist agencies into one “mega-force”. In its complimentary review extolling the benefits of the merger, the Scottish Police Authority says the intended strategic benefits included:
“…reducing the duplication of regionalised arrangements, improving equity of access to specialised expertise and equipment, and enhancing opportunities to strengthen connections with local communities.”
Though everyone knows its main purpose was to save money to be able to maintain officer strength. £1.1 billion cumulatively by 2026 to be exact. Estimates to date say it has exceeded that, with over £200 million per year removed from its cost base.
“Policing reform in Scotland has saved public finances £2 billion by removing over £200 million from the annual cost base compared to legacy arrangements, including through significant reductions in chief officer, senior officer and staff numbers, as well as efficiencies and improved working practices. Delivering these savings has been a significant achievement, but remains an ongoing challenge as public sector budgets are increasingly constrained.” – Police Scotland Annual Policing Plan 2024-25
However, that merger experience offers a cautionary tale, with plenty of insights and learning. IT failures and cultural clashes caused disruptions, with some still ongoing. Mass station closures led to a loss of local connection (as it always does).
There remain plenty of harsh critics of how the force is now run in comparison to pre-merger. Meanwhile, Police Scotland remains in dire financial straits, with 1,000 fewer officers now than it had before the mergers.
Current Proposals
“A smaller number of police forces, supported by a national policing organisation, would enable us to make decisions far quicker and maximise funding to invest in technology and our workforce.” – Chief Constable Gavin Stephens (NPCC)
Unlike 2006’s proposed top-down imposition under Blair, today’s push aligns with devolution deals and National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) support for mergers. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley called for mergers earlier this year, against a background of funding squeezes and rising complex crimes (e.g. online fraud) saying the current system hadn’t been fit for purpose “for at least two decades”.
43-forces as a model “hinders the effective confrontation of today’s threats and stops us fully reaping the benefits of technology.” He has suggested between 12 and 15 larger forces would be better able to use modern technology.
Failures like Police Scotland’s “teething issues” are alluded to as being offset by technology advances over the last decade enabling smoother integration. Though many in policing might be sceptical of this notion, as the reality for most police officers and staff tends to be that as technology supposedly becomes more sophisticated, the more things break down and the job becomes harder!
The proposed amalgamations will be rolled out over the same period as the NPCCs revised National Digital Strategy 2025-2030 transforming policing by achieving new digital data and technology (DDaT) ambitions.
Over the next 6 months, a Home Office and College of Policing appointed Commission is reviewing police leadership “at all levels”. With military, private sector and academic perspectives included alongside policing viewpoints, this review is already underway and is expected to produce a blueprint for police leadership in England and Wales for decades to come. Certainly lots going on!
As for the timeline? If plans for proposed mergers succeed without legal and political hurdles, a phased rollout could take 3 to 5 years e.g. legislation in 2026, voluntary mergers starting 2027, with full integration by 2029–2030. Naturally, it will require co-operation from successive governments.
With all that said, let’s fast-forward five years and take a look at how that might play out…
12 Mega-Forces Forces in 2030: Mapped
This 43 to 12 (ish) force restructuring would likely mirror existing regional boundaries for other public services, such as the 12 probation regions or the areas covered by regional organised crime units (ROCUs). Here’s an example of how the new forces might look, as per the cover image which mirrors the probation service:
- Police Wales (or Heddlu Cymru): North Wales, Dyfed-Powys, South Wales, Gwent
- North West Police: Merseyside, Cheshire, Cumbria, Lancashire
- Greater Manchester Police: GMP
- North East Police: Northumbria, Durham, Cleveland
- Yorkshire & Humber Police: North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Humberside
- West Midlands Police: West Midlands, West Mercia, Staffordshire, Warwickshire
- East Midlands Police: Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire
- East of England Police: Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire
- London Police: Metropolitan and City of London
- South West Police: Avon & Somerset, Devon & Cornwall, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire
- South Central Police: Hampshire, Thames Valley, Bedfordshire
- South East Police: Surrey, Sussex, Kent
This is just a simplistic representation and rough guide as to how things will pan out, if followed through. The specifics of how the 43 forces would be combined into 12 (or more) are still under consideration, with a government white paper expected in January 2026. However, previous proposals from 2006 and recent suggestions from senior police leaders like Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley provide insights.
The integration process would involve merging county forces into larger regional entities aligned with existing governmental regional boundaries. Supporters claim this could streamline governance and collaboration with other regional bodies. Critics point out that inter-agency policing collaborations happen at a far more localised level of governance.
Back-office functions like HR, procurement, forensics, projects, finance, training and IT would be consolidated at the regional or national level. This is where the main reductions in cost and duplication would come from and the achievement of ‘economies of scale’. Satellite working in such departments would be essential, given no-one currently has a big enough HQ to house everyone for a region. For civilian police staff, these proposals create the most uncertainty about long-term job security.
For specialist capabilities, the idea is that larger forces could better afford and deploy specialist resources (e.g. advanced drone technology, cybercrime expertise, major investigation teams), which smaller forces currently struggle to fund individually. But there will no doubt be rubs along the way, with massive geographic boundaries to bridge and potential battles over the differences in methods currently used in different forces.
One big criticism is how ‘localised delivery’ will be maintained in big regional forces, especially without the direct representation via PCCs. Critics contend that mega-forces would be remote from local communities, less accountable, and could damage public confidence and responsiveness to local issues.
Proponents argue that despite having larger regional forces, local policing would still be delivered at a community level, potentially through Basic Command Units (BCUs) aligned with local authority boundaries. The oversight of these new entities would likely fall to regional mayors or policing boards made up of local councillors.
Additionally, there’s the challenge of moving officers across such big geographical spaces. For example, Devon and Cornwall already spans a width of 150 miles, or a 3 hour drive. Police Regulations relating to officer moves across the force will no doubt need attention. And disagreements / enforced postings to meet the mega-force’s needs may well lead to further decreases in wellbeing and increases in turnover.
And we haven’t even thought about the other impacts on culture and people this will bring. But thinking about the impact on people, it would be remiss of me not to highlight how this news has been received and critiqued since the shock announcement last week…
Wider Media Commentary
“It is my hope that Members of Parliament and the Lords, irrespective of political party will put a stop to this – and help deliver the real reform that policing needs. Of all the issues that policing is facing right now, I am quite astonished that this is the priority.” – Festus Akinbusoye, Former Bedfordshire PCC.
Whilst the merging of police forces is part of wider structural reforms designed to make the police more efficient and cost effective, there has been significant commentary and criticism across social media and those opposed to the proposals, highlighting issues:
- “A bigger police force does not make for a better police service.”
- “How many people voted for this?”
- “This will cost a fortune, not result in more crimes being solved, criminals caught or public confidence improving.”
- “Private consultants will make a killing from this.”
I also noted this post from former Police Scotland Superintendent Martin Gallagher on Linked In. It’s impactive, important for aspiring police leaders to take note of, and will resonate widely, hence the full quote:
“My advice to those railing against this… you are fighting yesterday’s war. For the Home Secretary to be so public, front and centre of coverage, reform is coming. So, having lived through Scotland’s bitter experience of mergers here is my advice. Do not let this become a drive across your agencies for one size fits all. Embrace that rural and urban need different policing. Bake this into your plans. Mega forces do not need Mega Divisions. Scotland (and the Met, as I understand things) functioned far better in the old ‘BCU’ model, headed by an autonomous and empowered Chief Superintendent. Look to similar being in the plans. DO NOT make this about money. Make it about efficiency and serving the public. Have a defined point where savings end. Scotland didn’t, so police stations crumble and we have lost 1000 cops, long after reform should have become ‘steady state’. I lived this. You have my sympathies, but if you care about policing start planning the next battle, stop fighting the one that is already lost.”
Former PCC Festus Akinbusoye’s opinion piece in the Telegraph was also interesting:
“… adding to other voices opposed to the chaotic, costly and I dare say – careless major restructuring of policing being proposed. I have respect for the service of the senior police figures advocating for such a restructuring – but I profoundly believe they are wrong in this and perhaps far removed from what the vast majority of rank and file officers most want now, talk less of the public. I understand the budgetary issues and frustrations about inefficiencies. However, these are largely to do with government policies, legislation, and operational guidelines which Parliament and Chiefs can change. 12 police forces could be less efficient and effective than 43. It is my hope that Members of Parliament and the Lords, irrespective of political party will put a stop to this – and help deliver the real reform that policing needs. Of all the issues that policing is facing right now, I am quite astonished that this is the priority.”
Listen more to Festus’s views on policing and leadership in my recent exclusive podcast interview with him. If you’re an aspiring police leader, or just interested in what’s going on in policing, it’s a great listen.
There’s lots more to choose from so I’ll just cite one more post from Rory Geoghegan, alluding to the Metropolitan Police’s experience and ongoing reflections and challenges resulting from amalgamation of Boroughs across London:
“Back in 2018, the Met reorganised itself. It merged 32 Boroughs down to 12 “super -boroughs”. The Met claimed the changes would allow it to “improve the service we provide to London”. Six years on from the announcement…”
I guess the message is, at least in a “postcode lottery” there are some winners (which other forces can learn from). The concern here is that forcing through such massive, once-in-60-year changes so quickly, will create more losers; among both the public and in policing.
Listen into the podcast for more insight and opinion. As you do, consider:
- As an aspiring leader, manager and supervisor, what are your own thoughts about the reforms?
- What is the leadership you need to provide? How can you give stability to those you lead?
- What is the potential impact of these changes on teams you will lead through change?
We are certainly living in interesting times! I hope you’ve found this blog and associated podcast helpful.
Kind Regards, Steve
Don’t leave your promotion to chance. Get instant access to proven resources like my Digital Promotion Toolkit and Police Promotion Masterclass and start preparing like a pro today. For tailored guidance, get in touch or listen to my extensive Police Promotion Podcast for powerful leadership tips.
You omitted Bedfordshire completely
It is included: Look under Central region (11), because otherwise that region would be very small. But could instead be under East of England. Anyone’s guess until blueprint comes out! Thanks for your interest.