Shabana Mahmood is set to introduce a new law enforcement agency dubbed the “British FBI” to combat serious crimes, fraud, and terrorism. The Home Secretary will announce the establishment of a cutting-edge police force aimed at apprehending the most dangerous criminals in the country. This initiative comes as a response to the strain faced by the existing 43 police forces in England and Wales in dismantling both domestic and international criminal networks.
The proposed National Police Service, as outlined by Ms. Mahmood, will empower chief constables to address local offenses like anti-social behavior, drug trafficking, and theft. In addition, the overhaul will introduce Regional Crime Hubs to target criminals operating across borders and involved in intricate criminal activities.
Ms. Mahmood emphasized the necessity for a modernized policing approach, citing the inadequacies of current local forces in combating sophisticated crimes such as cybercrime, child exploitation, and organized crime syndicates. The envisioned National Police Service, likened to the renowned FBI, will leverage top-tier expertise and advanced technology to apprehend and neutralize dangerous criminals, enabling local forces to concentrate on community crime prevention efforts.
The Home Office plans to merge various law enforcement entities, including the National Crime Agency, Counter Terrorism Policing, Regional Organized Crime Units, police aviation units, and National Road Policing, under the new bureau. This consolidated agency will focus on leveraging technology and intelligence to combat complex crimes and will be overseen by a National Police Commissioner, the highest-ranking law enforcement official in the country.
Former head of counter-terrorism policing, Neil Basu, praised the move towards a national police service, highlighting the benefits of integrating multiple agencies and resources to enhance the country’s security apparatus against major crimes, organized crime, and terrorism.
In her address to MPs, Ms. Mahmood will emphasize the need to streamline the fragmented policing landscape, where different forces are responsible for distinct areas like counter-terrorism, police aviation, and road policing. These responsibilities will be consolidated within the new organization, which will also oversee the implementation of cutting-edge technologies such as facial recognition systems.
On Monday, the Home Secretary will outline her comprehensive strategy for combating crime, marking it as the most significant reform in policing since its inception two centuries ago.