Wiltshire force must stay local

Written by Duncan Hames and published in Letter to the editor of the Wiltshire Times on Fri 26th Mar 2004

The Wiltshire Times recently drew readers' attention to the Government's consultation on police reform.

"The oldest and the best" - Cllr Duncan Hames says the Wiltshire Constabulary should be retained.

I hope they will find it helpful to know that tucked away at the back of this consultation are the Government's plans to merge small police forces like Wiltshire's.

The last but one question of any substance asks whether the country should retain the current structure of 43 forces.

In an earlier consultation paper they tell us: "The Government believes that the time is right to consider whether the present 43-force structure in England and Wales is the right one and speak of "amalgamating forces".

I hope readers will join me in writing to the Minister behind these proposals, Hazel Blears MP, to reject this idea and defend an independent future for the Wiltshire Constabulary. I certainly don't want to see our local County force merged into a sub-regional one led from a base in Bournemouth or Bristol.

We can write to the Minister about this at: Policing ­ Building Safer Communities Together, Police Reform ­ Performance Delivery Unit, 6th Floor, Open Plan, 50 Queen Anne's Gate, London SW1H 9AT or by email to police.consultation@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk.

The public consultation officially ends as soon as April 5, but I certainly don't intend to let this rest as long as the Government continues to threaten the future of the Wiltshire Constabulary.