Ministers promise “British FBI” to take on terrorism, fraud and organised crime as forces face new performance targets and intervention powers

A NEW national police force for England and Wales is to be created under plans described by ministers as the biggest structural change to policing in generations.

The Home Office has confirmed that a National Police Service will be established to bring together national and cross-border crime-fighting functions currently split across several organisations. The government says the move will strengthen the response to terrorism, serious organised crime and large-scale fraud, while freeing local forces to focus on neighbourhood policing and the offences that most affect public confidence.

The proposals were announced over the past two days as part of a wider “policing reset” to be set out in a Home Office white paper due on Monday.

What is being created

Under the plan, a National Police Service would be formed to take on work that regularly spans force boundaries, including counter-terrorism policing, serious organised crime and complex fraud investigations.

Ministers have indicated the new body would assume responsibilities currently spread across the National Crime Agency, Counter Terrorism Policing (which is led nationally through the Metropolitan Police), and regional structures that support forces with major investigations.

A National Police Commissioner would be appointed as the most senior police leader in the country, overseeing the new service and providing a single point of command for national threats.

Why the government says change is needed

The Home Office argues that crime has changed faster than policing structures have kept up.

Ministers say criminals operate across borders and online, and that cyber-enabled fraud and organised crime do not respect force areas. They contend that asking 43 separate forces to maintain the same level of specialist capability is inefficient and, in some areas, no longer realistic in the face of recruitment pressures and rising demand.

The government’s central claim is that the current system pulls local forces into complex national work, leaving fewer officers available for visible policing and “everyday” crime such as shoplifting, antisocial behaviour, vehicle crime and phone theft.

How it would work in practice

The National Police Service would be introduced in stages during a transition period, rather than via an overnight switch.

The government has stressed that the new service would still rely on local policing for intelligence and community engagement, and that neighbourhood teams will remain central to preventing extremism, disrupting organised crime and safeguarding vulnerable people.

Technology and capability

One of the most significant shifts under the plan is national control over specialist technology and procurement.

Ministers say the new structure will allow faster rollout of tools and systems across all forces, including better data sharing and modern investigative capabilities. The government has also indicated it wants to expand live facial recognition and other digital policing technologies more widely, arguing it can help identify suspects and protect the public.

Critics have already signalled that technology will be a major battleground, with concerns expected over privacy safeguards, oversight, and how such tools are governed and deployed.

Force performance ‘dashboard’ and intervention powers

Alongside the creation of the National Police Service, the Home Office has also announced tougher national oversight of local forces.

Plans published on Friday include a public performance “dashboard”, with forces rated on measures such as 999 response times, victim satisfaction and public confidence. Poorly performing forces would be “named and shamed”, and ministers want stronger powers for the Home Office to intervene.

Those intervention options include sending in specialist support teams and, in serious cases, taking steps to remove chief constables judged to be failing. Police leaders have warned that target-driven regimes can create perverse incentives, but ministers insist that stronger accountability is necessary to raise standards.

Possible mergers and fewer forces

The government has also signalled support for further consolidation of police forces in England and Wales, potentially reducing the number of forces into larger regional units.

While no definitive map has been published, the direction of travel is towards fewer, bigger forces, with the National Police Service sitting above them to handle national threats and cross-border crime.

Professional standards and a proposed ‘licence to practise’

Another element announced alongside the structural changes is a professional standards reform package, including proposals for a mandatory “licence to practise” for officers in England and Wales.

Ministers say this would ensure continuing competence and help rebuild public trust after high-profile misconduct cases in recent years. The Police Federation and other staff representatives have raised concerns about workload pressures and the practicalities of introducing new requirements without significant investment in training and support.

Political reaction and policing response

Labour has presented the plan as a modernisation project to rebuild policing capability and restore confidence in the criminal justice system.

Senior policing bodies have welcomed the idea of stronger national coordination for modern threats, while stressing that the success of any national body will depend on preserving strong links with local forces and neighbourhood policing.

Opposition parties are expected to press ministers on costs, governance, civil liberties issues around technology, and whether centralisation risks weakening local accountability.

What happens next

The Home Office white paper, expected on Monday, is due to provide further detail on the structure of the National Police Service, the role and powers of the National Police Commissioner, the transition timetable, and the legislative changes required to bring the reforms into force.

The scale of the plans means the changes are likely to take years to complete, with ministers facing scrutiny over whether the overhaul can improve the fight against fraud, terrorism and organised crime while also delivering the promised improvements to visible policing and the “everyday” crimes that shape public confidence.