PUTTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT

The Times newspaper ran a story on Monday (21 December) - ‘Ministers can order police forces to merge’, describing the Government’s new powers in relation to collaboration between police forces.

The article wrongly stated that the Chairs of both Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Police Authorities fully support a full merger of the two forces, and this has led to a lot of speculation in both counties. 

In response, Stuart Nagler JP DL, Chair of the Police Authority, has written to The Times to put the records straight but, as yet, the letter has not been published.

“I was deeply concerned about the impact the story could have on local residents and on our officers and staff.  As Chair of Hertfordshire Police Authority, I have not, and would not, make any recommendations, nor give support, to any merger without the opportunity for all members of our Police Authority to formally consider a fully developed business case – something that is likely to happen later next year.  And the Authority would not take any decisions without consulting the public to get their views.

“I would like to reassure the people of Hertfordshire that the Police Authority will continue to ensure that they get the best possible police service now, and in the future.  Hertfordshire is one of the top performing forces in the country and our intention is to keep it that way.”

Hertfordshire has been involved in collaborative arrangements for many years, with initiatives such as the joint Air Support Unit, which it shares with Thames Valley and Bedfordshire Police.  More recently, Hertfordshire Constabulary has pioneered a range of new collaborative ventures with other forces and, in particular, with Bedfordshire Police.  These include the highly successful Beds and Herts Major Crime Unit, which was the first of its kind in the country and provided, not only cost efficiencies, but also increased resilience and a broader skills base for both forces.  Together with other collaboration initiatives, it has contributed to significant savings for both police authorities – something that is becoming increasingly more important in the current difficult financial climate.