Tory plan for new national police force

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

The 15,000-strong Serious Crime Force, dedicated to murders and terrorism, was the centrepiece of reforms that include performance-related pay and an end to form-filling.

Under the plans, the Metropolitan Police would be stripped of its counter-terrorism powers and turned into a local London force focusing on street crime.

The London Mayor, rather than the Home Secretary as at present, would have the power to hire and fire the Met's commissioner.

Shadow police reform minister Nick Herbert said the current 43 separate police forces in England and Wales were no longer viable in their present form.

Instead, the new force would take over national offences such as paedophile crime, road policing, fraud and internet crime. Reforms outlined in the Conservatives' policy paper include:

Paying police more money if they catch more criminals.

A Sandhurst-style police chiefs' college to encourage more graduates.

General purpose "beat bobbies" replaced by specialists.

Measuring police performance by victim satisfaction and sickness absence.

But while serious crime would be handled by the national force, more local forces could be created to deal with all other offences.

Smaller police forces would be set up after referendums of towns and cities.

The new force would mean the Met would lose its current specialisms in counter-terrorism and, as a result, remove the need for the Home Secretary to appoint its commissioner.