Met Chief Sir Mark Rowley Calls for Overhaul of English Policing

The head of the Metropolitan Police is set to warn that policing in England and Wales is heading for failure without urgent reform, BBC News reported. In a speech scheduled for Friday, Sir Mark Rowley will argue that the existing system cannot cope with the sophistication of modern criminals. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Sir Mark previously warned that policing faces failure without a radical reduction in the number of forces. [1][2]

To address these challenges, Sir Mark is proposing the biggest structural overhaul of policing since the 1960s, according to BBC News. His plan would replace the current 43-force system with a three-tier structure consisting of eight to 10 regional police forces, hundreds of local policing commands, and a new National Police Service. [1]

Under the proposed three-tier plan reported by BBC News, local teams would address neighbourhood issues, while regional forces would share specialist resources. The proposed National Police Service would focus on tackling sophisticated crime. [1]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, public confidence in policing and crime detection rates have both been declining, according to the Metropolitan Police commissioner. A government-ordered review is expected to recommend establishing regional super forces. [2]