Huge changes planned for police force and how to have your say

Residents in Wiltshire and Swindon are being asked to respond to a new public survey tied to the Government’s Police Reform White Paper, From Local to National: A New Model for Policing. Philip Wilkinson, the Wiltshire police and crime commissioner (PCC), is encouraging participation to gauge how proposed changes could affect policing locally. The proposals would reduce the current 43 police forces in England and Wales into fewer, larger regional forces, while also planning to abolish the PCC role from 2028. In its place, “Local Policing Areas” would be created with ring-fenced teams focused on visible neighbourhood policing and local problem-solving. The survey also asks whether Wiltshire Police should merge with neighbouring forces.