England and Wales’ 43 police forces must merge to make savings, cut red tape, and avoid duplication, the Royal United Services Institute has said today.

The think-tank warns that simple collaboration and co-location between police forces will not go far enough to helping cut the £164bn public deficit and fund frontline police services.

Its report, Investigation into UK Policing Structures, which was published today, says fundamental reforms are needed to help fund an effective police service.

It says: “Senior figures in politics are failing to take the initiative on mergers, even though many believe the number of forces should be reduced to make the police more efficient and to reduce duplication and costs.”

The report also expresses concerns about the lack of an independent body to encourage reform. It says the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) should take this role.

Ian Potter, head of estates at Hertfordshire Constabulary, and secretary of the ACPO property group, says sharing certain buildings and functions between forces is no longer enough.

The report echoes government recommendations in 2005 that said police forces should examine the case for mergers. No merger has taken place so far.

Potter says mergers are now imperative for adequate supply of property.

“We can’t be saying we want a new cell block in one location when Bedfordshire police force have one that we can’t use five miles away. Property-wise we do need to work more closely together.”

Hertfordshire and Bedfordshrire chief constables are set to submit a business case in July to the Home Office for the merger of their forces.

“We’ve done all the collaboration we can now – if mergers don’t happen we’ll stop making the savings we need to.”

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