Welsh Liberal Democrats Object to a Single Welsh Police Force

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have objected to calls for Wales to have a single police force, stating it has had a negative impact on policing in Scotland and will see policing further removed from the community.

ommenting Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said:

“We need our public services brought closer to the communities they serve, not the opposite. Police centralisation in Scotland has caused huge problems over recent years, proving expensive and ineffective.

“The different regions of Wales face very different challenges when it comes to policing, they have different needs and expectations and require varying types of support. While Dyfed Powys police has a specialisation in rural crime, South Wales police does not.

“Centralising our police forces will only further remove them from the communities they serve. Again in Scotland, the number of special constables dropped by two thirds following centralisation.

“Policing must be kept local, accountable and embedded in communities.”

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