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News Release 19th September 2005STAFFORDSHIRE POLICE MERGERFollowing the statement by Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary that smaller police forces should be merged to enable them to carry out their work better, Michael Fabricant is asking the Home Secretary for reassurances that Staffordshire will not be swallowed up into the West Midlands Force. "Although some doubts have been expressed recently into Staffordshire Police's resources particularly in connection with local policing and the handling of the Darley Oaks Guinea Pig Farm incidents, I am not convinced yet that a merger with another force is necessary" says Michael Fabricant. "However, if it is felt by both the Home Office and the police that a better service to the public could be provided by pooling resources, I would not oppose a merger in principle. But any such merger should be with adjoining forces of a similar size such as the Cheshire or Warwickshire constabularies. I would oppose any merger into the West Midlands force which is huge by comparison and is centred on policing in Birmingham and the Black Country. This calls for very different types of policing than that which we need in predominantly rural counties like Staffordshire. Our local police would just be 'swallowed up' by the West Midlands force and make the service more remote" Michael adds. Mr Fabricant will also be contacting Staffordshire's Chief Constable, John Giffard, to seek his views on a possible merger. |
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