Dyfed Powys Chief Constable calls for all-Wales police force

Wales' police forces should combine as one organisation according to the chief constable of Dyfed Powys.

RETRANSMITTED CORRECTING SPELLING OF CARMARTHENSHIRE..Welsh police pull over cars at a checkpoint during firebrake vehicle patrols close to the border between Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, Wales. First Minister Mark Drakeford will unveil new national coronavirus measures for Wales on Monday. PA Photo. Picture date: Monday November 2, 2020. The restrictions will come into force when Wales' 17-day firebreak lockdown expires on November 9, four days after England begins its own initial four-week lockdown. See PA story HEALTH Coronavirus. Photo credit should read: Ben Birchall/PA Wire.

Dr Richard Lewis, who took on the role as the force's chief constable last year, has called for the creation of one, Wales-wide police force by 2030.

Currently Wales has four police forces – Dyfed Powys, North Wales, South Wales and Gwent.

Any move to combine the four would create a force with 7,400 officers – the third largest in England and Wales, after the Metropolitan Police and West Midlands Police.

Dr Lewis, who is originally from Carmarthenshire and was formerly the chief constable of Cleveland Police, said that a combined force would be more efficient.

Dyfed Powys Police chief constable, Dr Richard Lewis.

The move would be similar to that carried out in Scotland with the creation of Police Scotland in 2013 – although the merger of eight forces has proved controversial.

Dr Lewis said: "Doing away with those borders means we can provide a more effective service.

"One chief constable rather than four. One deputy chief constable. Dare I say, one commissioner instead of four."

Dr Lewis said that the idea should not be seen as a way of cutting resources.

He said: "What policing needs across the country is further investment.

"We've seen the government uplift figure of 20,000 officers. I'd like to see something similar for police staff members as well."

The chief constable also said he believed any merger could learn from the issues faced by Police Scotland.

He said: "Police Scotland had a difficult start but I think they're now seeing the benefits of having one national service in Scotland.

"We can learn the lessons, of course, from those early days in Scotland... creating national structures in the IT world etc."

Dr Lewis said that the change would not be insurmountable and that he wanted a national debate on whether the public want a country-wide police force.

He said: "President Kennedy, in 1962, said that he would put a man on the moon by the end of decade.

"If, starting from scratch, the Americans can put a man on the moon in eight years, I think we can unify four police services in Wales."

A Home Office spokesman said: "The existing police force structure in Wales ensures everyone has a direct say on policing in their area through their locally elected and accountable police and crime commissioner.

"Chief constables and police and crime commissioners collaborate with other forces on a wide range of functions to improve the service they provide to the public."