The Home Office has released a landmark White Paper, "From Local to National: A New Model for Policing" signalling a radical modernisation of law enforcement in England and Wales. Published in January 2026, this report outlines the most significant changes to the service since the 1960s.
For our customers and partners across the operational frontline, these reforms represent a shift towards a more integrated, technologically advanced, and locally rooted service. Here is a breakdown of the key proposals and what they mean for the future of policing.
A New National Structure: The National Police Service (NPS)
The government has argued that the 43-force model, established in the 1960s, is no longer fit for purpose in a digital age where crime often crosses international borders. To address this, a single National Police Service (NPS) will be established.
- Strategic Leadership: The NPS will provide a single source of strategic leadership, replacing the current fragmented mix of central bodies.
- Unified Operations: In its final phase, the NPS will bring together Counter Terrorism Policing, the National Crime Agency, and Regional Organised Crime Units into one national force.
- Mandatory Standards: The NPS will be empowered to set mandatory national standards in areas such as training, data, and technology to ensure a consistent service across the country.
- Force Mergers: An independent review of police force structures is being stood up immediately to examine the optimal configuration of fewer, larger forces, with a report expected in summer 2026.
Re-energising the Frontline
While the national tier is being consolidated, the White Paper places a renewed focus on visible neighbourhood policing to restore public confidence.
- 13,000 More Personnel: The government is committed to delivering 13,000 additional neighbourhood policing personnel by the end of the Parliament.
- Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee: This commitment ensures every area has named, contactable officers and a guaranteed 72-hour response time for local queries.
- Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour: New powers, such as the "Respect Order," will be introduced to help teams crack down on persistent anti-social behaviour and retail crime.
Unleashing Technology and AI
With 90% of crime now estimated to involve a digital element, the report emphasises the need for the police to outpace criminals through innovation.
- Police.AI: A new National Centre for AI in Policing will be established with £115 million in funding over the next three years to enable the rapid adoption of automation and AI technologies.
- Efficiency Gains: Initial AI projects will focus on reducing administrative burdens such as CCTV analysis, transcribing documents, and case file production, aiming to free up 6 million policing hours annually.
- Live Facial Recognition (LFR): The government will fund 40 new LFR vans for town centres and high-crime areas to help intercept offenders.
- Data Integration: A new National Data Integration and Exploitation Service will be created to allow policing to share data more effectively between forces and the centre.
As the service prepares for this transition to a more unified national model, having a clear and common operating picture will be more important than ever. We are following these developments closely to ensure our platform continues to support you in meeting these new national standards and local guarantees.