'Irrational' police forces face axe or merger - Why Home Secretary's speech could herald end of West Midlands policing as we know it
Police forces across the West Midlands, Shropshire and Staffordshire face upheaval after the Home Secretary hinted at major change.
Policing in England and Wales is "a postcode lottery" and the 43-force structure is "irrational", the Home Secretary said.
She told a major policing conference in Westminster that critical functions like the air service and vetting have been loaded on to the 43 geographical forces, diverting their attention from neighbourhood policing.
A white paper is due to be published in the coming weeks outlining government plans for police reform, with forces facing a £1.2 billion budget shortfall.
They include West Mercia Police, which revealed in August it had an £8 million budget gap. Staffordshire Police also revealed earlier this year it was planning axe up to 80 non-police officer posts as part of a £9.9m cost-cutting drive.
