Police Amalgamations.

[Sgt Lobster]

We now have a National Policing Board in England & Wales - perhaps the strategic force saga was just a diversion to stop us realising they are creating a national force

http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/police-reform/nat-policing-board/

Lobster.

[Cockney Corner.]

Personally, I regret that it's not on the agenda anymore. Sure, It's going to be fabulously expensive but it needs to happen sometime. We need some economy of scale and better intelligence sharing. I could see an argument if we still had independent Chief Constables and Police Authorities who could stand up against the Government but I just don't think that's the case. The CC's and PA's may think that they have won a victory but the bottom line is that the current Home Secretary just didn't give a monkey's - that's why it's been dropped.

[Sgt Lobster]

John,

A very good question?

We've had an e-mail at work telling us that our amalgamation with Cumbria is off. The stumbling block appears to be the Government's unwillingness to actually fund the creation of a police service fit for the 21st century

However there does seem to be a reluctance at the moment to actually say that the mergers are dead in the water. I invite you to draw your own conclusions!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5172136.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/5172494.stm

http://www.lancashire.police.uk/index.php?id=852

Lobster.

[JohnKelly]

Forces Back Out Of Merger Plans

So, where to from here,

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/lancashire/5166992.stm

Does this mean that the whole idea of Force Amalgamations is Off The Agenda?

[Sgt Lobster]

If they get their way the modernisers of the British Police Service are looking at a reduction of 10 - 15% in the numbers of sworn officers. However the Government has made a commitment not to reduce 'police' numbers, how will they achieve this? Simple they replace flexible, highly trained police officers with cheaper less flexible non-sworn staff.

Not too sure that a reduction in the number of forces will effect promotion prospects apart from at ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers) level. Interestingly the new ACPO president Ken Jones is not convinced that the merging of forces will mean that fewer senior officers will be needed!


Lobster.

[Titus_Pullo]

A fairly senior officer pointed out a problem with this to me the other day. Being a worker of modest rank I cannot vouch for the accuracy, but it's food for thought.

1. Senior officers at Acpo level will not be able to move out of force and get promoted as much as they do.

2. This will create a bottleneck at ACC level, and then at Ch/Supt. level.

3. This bottleneck will then create another one all the way down to inspector...and then the sergeants who want to get promoted!

So what? I hear you ask.

Well, how do you manage all those constables who have waited ages for promotion? Well, you introduce the dreaded tenure-type systems to "give everyone a go" at all the different departments to manage "career progression" (oh how we laughed).

But....guess what? The Home Office is civilianising lots of specialist posts, right? Where does that leave us? Thousands of PCs who are not able to move which is precisely what "they" want. Result? People get fed up and leave, don't draw pensions and they just hire in more PCSOs instead.

Basically, they want to get rid of most police constables and replace us with a modular rentacop model.

Right, I'll now take my tinfoil hat off.

[Sgt Lobster]

This is the latest on the amalgamation of police forces in England & Wales (except London) by the Home Secretary. These amalgamations do not apply to Scotland or Northern Ireland.

11 April 2006

Home Secretary Charles Clarke said:

"In my written ministerial statements to Parliament on 20 and 21 March, I set out the options for police force restructuring in the Eastern, East Midlands, South East, and the Yorkshire and the Humber regions which would be of the greatest benefit to the communities in those areas based on a professional policing and financial assessment of the cases put forward. I asked the police authorities concerned to respond by 7 April.

The majority of these police areas have indicated support for change, and a wish to maintain close dialogue with my Department about managing this process in the interests of policing in their areas. I am pleased to be able to announce the results of that joint working today.

Hampshire, Kent and Thames Valley will continue to stand alone and reconfigure as strategic forces.

Norfolk Police Authority has volunteered to merge, but in the absence of a similar request to merge from Cambridgeshire and Suffolk Police Authorities this merger is unable to proceed on a voluntary basis.

North Yorkshire Police Authority has volunteered to merge, but in the absence of a similar request to merge from Humberside, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire Police Authorities this merger is unable to proceed on a voluntary basis.
I am satisfied, on the basis of the protective services assessment undertaken by HMIC and our evaluation of the financial and other aspects of the business cases submitted to us in December, that it would be in the interests of the efficiency or effectiveness of policing for the following forces to merge:

*
Humberside, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire
*
Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire
*
Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk
*
Bedfordshire, Essex and Hertfordshire
*
Surrey and Sussex

I am accordingly today giving written notice to all the police authorities, local authorities and chief constables in the affected areas of my intention to merge the above police force areas, setting out my reasons for proposing the merger and specifying the general nature of the provisions to be made.

In accordance with sections 32 and 33 of the Police Act 1996 these police authorities, local authorities and chief constables now have until 11 August 2006 to submit any objections to the proposed mergers. I will carefully consider any objections received. My officials will continue to work closely with these areas and also address implementation issues. Subject to that consideration I would propose to lay the necessary draft orders for approval by both Houses in the Autumn with the new forces coming into being from 1 April 2008."

http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/police-reform/Force-restructuring

Lobster.

[Sgt Lobster]

Lancashire & Cumbria will be amalgamated by April 2007.

Lobster.

[Raid1]

Yeah my boss CC Spence from Cambs has been sumoned... looks like its Norfolk and Suffolk for us. (sorry Suffolk you'll just have to grow to like us ) Planned date for the amalgamation to be in place 2008... so either its going to be a complete rushed cluster f**k or theirs been a lot of preparatory planning behind the scenes for a few years.

[Sgt Lobster]

Chief Constable Bob Quick and Surrey Police Authority Chair Liz Campbell have been asked to meet with the Home Secretary on Monday 20/03/06, alongside other forces from the South East, to discuss the future structure of the force. Despite being an exponent of work force modernisation I wonder if he'll have a force after Monday?


Lobster.

[Sgt Lobster]

Salve Titus Pullo,

I think both Cumbria & Lancashire saw the writing on the wall and my understanding they have negotiated satisfactory assurances regarding start up costs, council tax harmonisation and governance (make up of the new Police Authority).

Whilst North Cumbria has not traditionally been associated with Lancahire, large chunks of the south of the county were policed by the Lancashire Constabulary prior to April 1974. Indeed many people living in the south of Cumbria rightly consider themselves to be Lancastrians

I think with the Lancashire/Cumbria, Merseyside/Cheshire & GMP (Greater Manchester Police) to remain alone, the Home Office have taken the path of least resistance. I have to concede though that this does seem to be the best solution for the North West Region.

[Titus_Pullo]

Sarge,

I've not worked with Lancs but I've done a job with Cumbria and a top bunch of blokes they were too. It is a (very) small force so I can see why it shouldn't present too much of a problem...gripes about IT (FFS!) just don't cut the mustard as far as I'm concerned.

Also notice how the canny forces (i.e. yours) who agreed to amalgamation upfront have fairly small, easy-to-manage changes versus those kicking and screaming.

Latest on this, via the BBC, is http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4771812.stm

No surprises that GMP remains stand-alone, but knowing a little of the politics of...

Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Mercia and West Midlands

I really don't envy any of the guv'nors concerned! West Mercia (bless 'em) were utterly convinced that they could stand alone, their Home Office figures were blinding but they just couldn't seem to see which way the wind was blowing!

As you can imagine, my sympathy for all these poor, effectively demoted ACPO types is immense. They foist hasty, unpopular decisions on the troops all the time...see how they squirm when it's done to them. Lead by example, Sir(s) and "Manage your Disappointment!"



T_P

[Sgt Lobster]

Our lot seem to think they can manage the Cumbria/Lancashire amalgamation without too many problems. However I would imagine amalgamating three, four or more forces would present a much greater problem.


Lobster.

[Titus_Pullo]

Apparently just to link their two investigation computer programs will bankrupt both forces!

Such are the desperate excuses some of the Acpo-types are coming up with to avoid losing their little fiefdoms.

If they can't even manage their IT effectively why should they be trusted to manage an entire constabulary?

T_P

[MrG]

Once again the government is trying to force something in without thinking it through first.
Last gossip I heard was about two southern forces. Apparently just to link their two investigation computer programs will bankrupt both forces! And thats just the computer systems. What about uniform, vehicles etc etc. I suppose everyone is on airwave now but that is about the only common system.

It's not gonna work Mr Blair! (unless you fund it)

MrG