Nigel has today written to the Home Secretary, Theresa May, to outline his opposition to proposals made by the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe for more than 30 police forces in England and Wales to be scrapped and replaced by 9 super-forces based on regional boundaries.
In his letter to the Home Secretary Mr Evans said, ‘Not only will such a reorganisation cost the taxpayer a huge amount of money, there is also the problem of a loss of identity and accountability between the public and the police. Under such proposals it is probable that Lancashire Constabulary would be put within the same super-force as Greater Manchester and Merseyside, with policing being moved even further away from the Ribble Valley.
Rural areas would undoubtedly lose out to such changes, and while the Ribble Valley has a very low crime rate its residents still pay their taxes and deserve to have a police force that understands their neighbourhoods and can effectively police their area.
I strongly urge and hope that you will publically state your opposition to these proposals.’