UK to cut 43 police forces to 10, centralizing services to boost efficiency and frontline presence.

Shabana Mahmood, the UK Home Secretary, is set to announce major police reforms in England and Wales, aimed at reducing the number of police forces from 43 to improve efficiency and combat rising crime. The overhaul, the most significant in decades, will consolidate back-office functions to save money and redirect resources to frontline officers, with forces restructured to focus on serious and organized crime while neighborhood officers deal with local issues. The changes aim to reduce performance disparities, citing previous issues such as Wiltshire Police's reliance on other forces during the 2018 Salisbury poisoning. An independent review will determine the final size and scope of the new forces, with full implementation expected by the mid-2030s. While previous reform efforts have failed, Mahmood's supporters say she is committed to bold change, though critics question whether centralization will improve crime outcomes, citing low conviction rates in larger forces.