Removing police commissioners and other proposed policing reforms will "leave residents worse off" according to Warwickshire's commissioner.

Phillip Seccombe's words come after the government announced the "largest reforms to policing since forces were professionalised two centuries ago" this week.

Included in the plans is a move to scrap police and crime commissioners by 2028 to remove "unnecessary bureaucracy" and save up to £100 million per year.

Further details on the white paper were announced this week but have been criticised by Mr Seccombe.

"The white paper also proposes the removal of police and crime commissioners by 2028, replacing direct public accountability with complex new structures led by regional mayors or council boards," he said. 

"This would weaken the clear line of accountability residents currently have. 

"Decisions about policing in Warwickshire should be made in Warwickshire. 

"Our residents pay their council tax expecting local accountability, and they deserve to know that their specific concerns are being heard and acted upon."

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The white paper suggests possible merges of forces to save money.

Other proposals include a national police service to tackle complex crime, more powers for politicians to tackle failing forces, and new target response times for attending crimes. 

But Mr Seccombe said the plans risk leaving local residents worse off and could "damage the strong progress" made by Warwickshire Police in recent years.

"While I welcome efforts to improve national capability, particularly through investment in technology and the creation of a National Police Service to better co-ordinate specialist functions, I remain deeply concerned that the proposals to reduce the number of police forces and move towards much larger regional structures will not deliver the improvements the public are being promised," he said

"For a county like Warwickshire, with its mix of urban and rural communities, being absorbed into a very large regional force risks drawing focus and resources away from the issues that matter here. 

"The belief that a larger force automatically delivers a better service is not supported by evidence. 

"Previous attempts at creating very large organisations have shown that they become slower to respond, less connected to local areas and more difficult for residents to influence.

"I will not support a model that creates distance between the public and those responsible for keeping them safe."

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