The chief constable of Gloucestershire Police has expressed support for merging smaller forces amid ongoing discussions about streamlining policing in England and Wales. Temporary Constable Maggie Blyth cited the recent suspected terror plot near RAF Fairford, which resulted in six arrests on terrorism charges, as an example of the challenges faced by smaller forces with limited resources and outdated technology.
Gloucestershire Police, one of the country’s smallest forces with around 1,200 officers, managed much of the initial response to the incident but depended on assistance from neighboring forces through mutual aid arrangements. Blyth noted the force’s inability to independently provide specialist capabilities required for large or complex investigations. She emphasized that the force did not receive additional funding to cover the costs of responding to the Fairford operation.
Blyth highlighted Gloucestershire Police’s responsibility for several sensitive sites within the county, including the headquarters of the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) intelligence agency in Cheltenham. Despite this, she signaled that smaller forces face difficulties maintaining critical specialist services without sufficient investment.
The remarks come ahead of the awaited publication of a report by Lord Bernard Hogan-Howe, former Metropolitan Police commissioner, which was commissioned by the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. The report, submitted in September, is expected to recommend reducing the number of police forces in England and Wales from 43 to around 20 or fewer. These proposals aim to increase efficiency, enhance specialist teams to address complex crimes such as domestic abuse, and create a National Police Service responsible for counterterrorism and similarly demanding investigations.
Blyth, who plans to retire once a permanent chief constable is appointed, has long advocated for Gloucestershire Police to be merged as part of the reform process. She argued that maintaining a small, under-resourced force that struggles to perform in priority areas is unsustainable and counterproductive. The move toward mergers is also intended to address technological shortcomings; Gloucestershire has reportedly accumulated “technical debt” due to past failures to modernize IT systems.
The chief constable has engaged in discussions with nearby forces and publicly described Gloucestershire as a suitable candidate for merger-acquisition. However, this perspective is not universal among police leaders. For instance, the City of London Corporation has resisted proposals to merge its independent police force with the Metropolitan Police, and Suffolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore has voiced strong opposition to a possible merger with Norfolk, describing it as potentially disastrous.
The Home Office has acknowledged receipt of Hogan-Howe’s report and indicated that it will provide further details on the government’s approach to restructuring police forces in due course. Officials have underscored the need to balance excellent neighborhood policing with greater access to specialist capabilities.
Blyth expressed optimism that a merger could enhance the quality and coordination of specialist investigations in Gloucestershire, enabling the force to better tackle serious offences within a broader regional framework. She remarked on the evolving nature of policing, which now operates on multiple levels from local to global, rendering the boundaries established decades ago increasingly obsolete.