A newly instituted National Police Service (NPS) will spearhead counter-terror, fraud, and criminal gang probes as part of significant police reforms in England and Wales. Announced by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, the NPS has been dubbed the 'British FBI' and promises to deploy 'world class talent and state of the art technology to track down and catch dangerous criminals'. This body will unify the efforts of the National Crime Agency and regional organised crime units, centralizing the acquisition of new technology, including facial recognition, for all police forces.
Mahmood highlighted that policing is stuck 'in a different century' and outlined various reforms, which she plans to detail on Monday. These reforms include significantly reducing the number of police forces in England and Wales and requiring all officers to hold a license to practice. Although the NPS will primarily operate within England and Wales, it can extend its operations across the broader UK, setting uniform standards and training police forces.
The Home Office pointed out that local officers are currently 'burdened' with major crimes without adequate training, preventing them from addressing everyday offenses such as shoplifting and anti-social behavior. Recently announced changes streamline the current 'irrational' structures, bringing counter-terror policing, the National Air Service, and National Roads Policing into the fold of the new organization. As the new setup is progressively rolled out, intelligence and resources will be shared across different forces, ensuring consistent public security standards nationwide.
While this isn't the first time UK police reforms have been likened to a 'British FBI'—a title previously given to the 2006 Serious and Organised Crime Agency and its successor, the National Crime Agency—the initiative aims to boost efficiency by leveraging technological advancements. Despite government data suggesting facial recognition technology has significantly reduced crime, leading to 1,700 arrests over the past two years, concerns about bias and privacy persist among campaigners. The Home Office also intends to recruit leadership talent from outside the force to provide fresh perspectives.