Policing in England and Wales a ‘postcode lottery’, Home Secretary says

Policing in England and Wales is “a postcode lottery” and the 43-force structure is “irrational”, the Home Secretary has said.

Shabana Mahmood told a major policing conference in Westminster that critical functions like the air service and vetting have been loaded on to the 43 geographical forces, diverting their attention from neighbourhood policing.

A white paper is due to be published in the coming weeks outlining government plans for police reform, with forces facing a £1.2 billion budget shortfall.

Speaking at the National Police Chiefs’ Council and Association of Police and Crime Commissioners summit, Ms Mahmood said: “The structure of our police forces is, if we are honest, irrational.

“We have loaded critical functions like the national police air service and vetting onto local forces, drawing attention away from neighbourhood policing.

“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 saw that policing in this country is a postcode lottery.”

She said the adoption of new technology is “piecemeal”, and that many forces are dependent on the same systems that have been used for decades.

Last week, the Home Secretary announced that the former director of public prosecutions Lord MacDonald will review the use of police powers around protests and social media.

Ms Mahmood told delegates: “The public rightly expect that we police our streets.

“There is most certainly criminality online.

“Some things cannot be legally tweeted just as they cannot be legally said, but we should not be policing perfectly legal language in any individual’s tweets.”

Police chiefs have already called for radical reform of the 43-force structure in England and Wales, backing a system with fewer, larger forces.

Speaking after the conference on Wednesday afternoon, chair of the National Police Chiefs Council Gavin Stephens said the existing 43-force structure is no longer affordable.

In her speech, Ms Mahmood also thanked police and crime commissioners, whose jobs she has just axed, for their public service.

She said the role had created additional bureaucracy and hindered joint work between forces.

Ms Mahmood told delegates: “I believe the position of a Police and Crime Commissioner, unfortunately, has not worked.

“Without necessary investment in creating a public profile, too many voters were unaware of the existence of the position, or its occupant.”

PCCs will be axed in 2028, when their responsibilities will either be taken on by mayors or deputy mayors, or policing boards.