A new national policing body that could lead the policing response to national threats and drive efficiencies has been proposed by chiefs.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the NPCC & APCC Partnership Summit, Chair Chief Constable Gavin Stephens said a central policing body could respond to \u2018some of the biggest national and global threats\u2019, which would free up forces to respond to important local issues.<\/p>\n
He told the conference: \u2018An organisation of this nature could provide strategic, operational and enabling capabilities on behalf of all police forces, doing so once, and well, preventing duplication, and if sustained over the long term, enabling reinvestment into local policing, where it is most needed.\u2019<\/p>\n
Speaking after the meeting, Steve Kent, South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair, said he would welcome any new initiative that would reduce demand and make work more efficient for officers, but he asked questions about how the unit would be funded.<\/p>\n
Steve said: \u2018This sounds nice on paper, but my concern is that, is this going to take something away from local police forces? Our force is one of the poorest funded in the country. Where is the money coming from for this national body?<\/p>\n
\u2018I think it\u2019s idealistically interesting. But we already have the National Crime Agency. Could we not expand that rather than creating a different policing body? I\u2019m supportive, in general, about any kind of expansion to law and order. But we\u2019ve got to get the foundations done first, and the brickwork, and that means properly funding our police forces. Only then can we look to go over and above.\u2019<\/p>\n