The United Kingdom Government has unveiled plans to create a new National Police Service, often described as a British FBI, to tackle serious and complex crime across England and Wales.
The new body, to be announced in a Home Office white paper on Monday, will take national responsibility for dealing with organised crime, terrorism, large-scale fraud and online child abuse.
These duties are currently shared between several agencies, including the National Crime Agency (NCA), counter-terrorism units and regional organised crime teams.
Under the reforms, investigations that cross regional boundaries will be handled by the National Police Service, allowing local police forces to focus more on everyday crimes such as shoplifting, burglary and antisocial behaviour.
The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said the current policing system was outdated and not designed to deal with modern threats like cybercrime and complex fraud. She said the new service would bring together specialist skills, advanced technology and national intelligence to better track and arrest dangerous criminals.
The National Police Service will be led by a national police commissioner, who will become the most senior police leader in the country. The body will also set national standards, oversee specialist training and manage shared technology such as facial recognition systems.
Senior police leaders, including the heads of counter-terrorism policing and the NCA, have backed the move, saying crime has become more organised and increasingly international. However, some policing analysts have warned that the reforms must involve frontline officers and protect strong links with local communities.
The new service will be introduced gradually, working alongside existing agencies during the transition.
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