Rt Hon Sir Julian Smith MP has challenged the Government over how its proposed policing reforms will affect rural communities, tabling a series of Parliamentary Questions.
Julian asked the Home Office what steps it is taking to protect local community partnerships if police forces are merged, how it will prevent resources being diverted from rural to urban areas, whether specialist rural policing expertise will be retained, whether larger urban-led forces will continue to understand rural crime, and how democratic oversight of policing will be maintained under the Government's plans.
In response, the Home Office said its Police Reform White Paper is intended to deliver the biggest changes to policing in almost 200 years. Ministers said the reforms would create stronger Local Policing Units, led by Local Police Commanders, with a greater focus on neighbourhood policing, emergency response and tackling local crime. The Government also said that aligning these new policing structures with local authority boundaries would strengthen local partnerships, improve accountability and maintain close working with councils and other agencies, including on safeguarding vulnerable adults and children. The Home Office argued that the reforms would bring policing closer to communities while also improving national capability to tackle serious and organised crime.
Julian also asked what steps the Government is taking to strengthen top-level police leadership.
The Home Office said it plans to improve police leadership by creating a new National Centre of Policing, which will set national standards, strengthen leadership development and improve consistency across forces. Ministers said the new arrangements are intended to ensure police leaders are better equipped to meet modern policing challenges while supporting local policing.
Commenting, Julian said, “Rural communities face distinct policing challenges, from organised rural and wildlife crime to maintaining strong partnerships between the police, councils and local organisations.
“The Government’s proposals to merge our area into larger police structures risk weakening local accountability and moving decision-making further away from the community’s officers serve.
“I will continue to oppose these changes and ensure that the voices of North Yorkshire’s towns, villages and rural communities are properly represented in the future of policing.”
You can read Sir Julian’s written questions here.
