Police wait for news on merger (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Police wait for news on merger

Chief constable Martin RichardsPOLICE chiefs in Wiltshire will learn next week the details of radical plans to shake up rural constabularies.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke is due to argue that the number of forces should be slashed by one third.

He is expected to respond to a report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary proposing a sweeping reduction in the number of forces to improve crime fighting.

There are fears the shake-up could include to the merger of the Wiltshire and Gloucestershire constabularies.

Wiltshire's chief constable Martin Richards has been invited to meet Mr Clarke in London on Monday to discuss the HMIC's proposals.

Mr Clarke has declared that that having 43 forces is not efficient and fears that small rural constabularies are not large enough to tackle the threats of terrorism or serious crime.

Senior Wiltshire officers yesterday refused to comment on the possible changes.

But force spokeswoman Jacqui Broadbridge said: "We know from consultation and engagement with our communities over time that the people of Wiltshire value greatly their local police force and local policing, locally delivered.

"Once the report is published the police authority and the Chief Constable will consider the content. "

Phil Davenport, the chairman of Wiltshire Police Federation, called for a common sense approach.

"People in Wiltshire want to be policed by local officers I think they will need a lot of convincing to think that a merger would be a good idea," he said.

South Swindon MP Anne Snelgrove said: "If there were any changes I would want cast-iron guarantees that that we would have the same level of policing and, obviously, the same level of success."

Mark Hookham