75% oppose Government plans to merge Thames Valley Police
75% of local residents who responded to a survey from Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Barber, oppose the merger of Thames Valley Police into a larger, regional organisation
The PCC launched the survey in June following the publication of the Government’s Police Reform White Paper to gauge local feeling on proposals to reduce the number of police forces in England and Wales.
Matthew Barber has previously raised concerns that the proposals could weaken local policing, reduce accountability and ultimately make communities less safe.
More than 2,300 people across the Thames Valley took part in the consultation, which was launched to ensure that residents had the opportunity to have their say on reforms that could significantly change the future of policing across England and Wales.
Communities reject force merger proposals
Respondents were asked whether they supported the Government’s plans to merge police forces, with the results as follows:
75% said they opposed force mergers
18% said they supported force mergers
7% said they were unsure
The survey also highlighted concerns about the potential impact of mergers on local policing. When asked about the risks of creating larger regional police forces, respondents most frequently cited concerns about:
Less visibility of policing
Lack of local knowledge
Poorer response to local priorities
Worse allocation of police resources
Reduction in community engagement and trust
A significant proportion of respondents (34%) also said they were unaware of the Government’s plans to merge police forces before taking part in the survey.
People want policing that is local, visible and accountable
Matthew Barber said: “The results of this survey send a very clear message. The vast majority of those who took part do not want to see local police forces abolished and merged into larger regional organisations.
“Residents understand that effective policing depends on local knowledge, local accountability and strong connections between officers and the communities they serve. They are concerned that these proposals would take policing further away from the public and weaken those relationships.
“I have consistently argued that the real issue facing policing is not the size of police forces, but the way they are funded. Reorganising force boundaries would create significant disruption and cost millions of pounds, with no guarantee of improving services for residents.
“What people have told us through this survey mirrors the concerns I set out in my response to the Government’s White Paper. There is a real risk that these changes could reduce local accountability, make policing less responsive and divert resources away from the frontline at a time when we should be focused on preventing crime and keeping communities safe.
“I want to thank residents who took the time to share their views. The Government has not asked the public what they think about these proposals, so it is important that the voices of Thames Valley residents are heard.
“I will be sharing these results with Government and will continue to make the case for policing that is rooted in local communities, accountable to local people and focused on delivering the best possible service to the public.”
