London-Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has unveiled a sweeping blueprint to reform what she described as the “broken” policing model in England and Wales. The plan includes the creation of a new National Police Service (NPS) designed to tackle the most complex cross-border crimes. This restructuring could significantly reduce the number of local police forces, aiming to ensure more effective, modern, and coordinated policing across the country. Preet Kaur Gill MP noted that these proposals reflect the government’s commitment to placing “the right policing in the right place.”
Alongside structural changes, the government is investing heavily in modern technology. The Home Office will fund 40 additional Live Facial Recognition vans following successful trials in South Wales and London, enabling nationwide deployment. A new National Centre for AI in Policing will also be created to develop advanced tools that support officers in reviewing CCTV footage and processing documents more efficiently. Gill highlighted that these upgrades will allow frontline officers to focus more on community safety while specialised national teams handle complex operations.
The proposed National Police Service, sometimes described as a British version of the FBI, will bring together the National Crime Agency, Counter Terrorism Policing, and key functions from bodies including the National Police Chiefs’ Council, the National Police Air Service, and the College of Policing. Preet Kaur Gill MP emphasised that this unified approach will strengthen the UK’s ability to combat organised crime, terrorism, and emerging threats, ensuring a safer future for communities across England and Wales.