Lib Dems fight police merger plans.
February 12, 2006 11:43 AM
Liverpool Liberal Democrats have launched a City-wide campaign against Home Office plans to merge Cheshire and Merseyside police.
The Home Office wants to force through the merger in the teeth of local opposition, including opposition from the Merseyside police authority.
Liberal Democrats believe that its important that policing is locally based and that the police are accountable to local communities. yet this could see policing in Netherley, Speke, Garston and elsewhere in South Liverpool being ultimately run from Winsford.
Says Lib Dem spokesperson Paula Keaveney:
"We've already said we didn't see the need for these mergers. It's vital that policing is closer to the communities it serves and this seems to take things in the opposite direction. What's more all the organisational changes involved are going to cost money - money which I think would be better spent on putting more bobbies on the beat."
Merseyside Chief Constable Bernard Hogan Howe recently announced a move towards more local community based policing. Liberal Democrats will be working to try to make sure that his efforts to boost policing in our communities are not undermined by the Home Office's merger plans.
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