The British government said Sunday it will unveil plans this week to create a new national police force, dubbed the “British FBI,” to take charge on complex investigations.
Under the plan, the proposed National Police Service would handle major categories of work that include counterterrorism, fraud, online child abuse and criminal gangs, according to a report by the Associated Press.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the new body would lift the burden on the 43 local police forces in England and Wales, helping them focus solely on day-to-day crimes within their jurisdictions.
Mahmood said that “Some local forces lack the skills or resources they need to fight complex modern crime such as fraud, online child abuse or organized criminal gangs,” adding that the current model was “built for a different century.”
She said the new body would attract “world-class talent” and help keep a lid on costs by moving procurement to one national force.
The AP report said the full proposals will be unveiled to Parliament on Monday. It also said other changes are expected, including slashing the number of police forces in England and Wales and changes to how police officers are recruited and managed.
The report said the National Police Service would bring under the same umbrella the work of existing agencies dealing with terrorism and crime, police helicopters and policing of the roads, and regional organized crime units in England and Wales.
The AP said the prospect of change was widely welcomed within police circles, including London’s Metropolitan Police, which takes the lead on counterterrorism, welcoming the creation of a single national service.