Plans to cut the number of police forces in England and Wales to a handful of "super-forces" represent a real threat to local policing, leading English mayors have warned.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley called on Friday for the 43 forces in England and Wales to be merged into eight to 10 larger forces. The proposal has been backed by the chief constables of other forces, including Greater Manchester Police, although senior officers disagree about how far the reduction should go.

Steve Rotheram, the mayor of the Liverpool City Region, described the proposals as "the wolf of centralisation dressed up in sheep's clothing" and said folding local forces into enormous regional bodies would undermine devolution and local accountability. David Skaith, the mayor of York and North Yorkshire, called the plans a "real threat" to local policing and said he would "not be lectured" by Rowley on gold-standard law enforcement.

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, is understood to be concerned the changes could damage accountability and neighbourhood policing, while Bev Craig, the mayor of Greater Manchester, said she would urge the government not to implement the most radical version of the plans. Many mayors want forces aligned with mayoral boundaries instead, so they can exercise greater oversight.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced plans in January to radically reduce the number of forces. She commissioned a review by former Metropolitan Police commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe, which is unpublished but understood to propose nine to 18 larger forces. Police and crime commissioners have also pushed back: Surrey's Lisa Townsend warned of years of chaos, citing a survey in which 80% of 3,500 residents opposed mergers, while 69% of respondents in Essex were opposed.

For now the proposals are not government policy, and the review is expected before the end of the year.

[Source: europes.run](https://www.europes.run/article/227748/super-force-plans-a-real-threat-to-local-policing-english-mayors-say) | [Source: thebrief.news](https://www.thebrief.news/en/standard/article/41055/met-chief-mark-rowley-calls-for-england-and-wales-police-forces-to-be-cut-to-eight-to-10-super-forces)