'British FBI' to tackle terrorism, fraud and gang crime in huge police shake up

London’s Metropolitan Police is to lose responsibility for counter-terror investigations, while the National Crime Agency will also be folded into the new mega force.

The Home Secretary is due to announce the move on Monday as part of the biggest reforms to policing in 200 years.

The service will also take responsibility for police helicopters - which is currently held by West Yorkshire Police - and for National Roads Policing, currently run by Sussex Police.

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LBC can reveal a new public order commander will be hired to the service, to oversee the national response to large-scale protests and riots.

It’s after heavy criticism of the slow response of police to tackle public disorder in Summer 2024, following the Southport attack.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “The current policing model was built for a different century.

"Some local forces lack the skills or resources they need to fight complex modern crime such as fraud, online child abuse or organised criminal gangs.

"We will create a new National Police Service – “the British FBI” - deploying world class talent and state of the art technology to track down and catch dangerous criminals.

"In doing so, local forces will be able to spend more time fighting crime in their communities."

The National Police Service (NPS) will be led by a commissioner, who will become the most senior police chief in the country.

By creating a higher-level service to tackle serious, complex and organised crime, it’s hoped a burden will be lifted from local police forces, who are said to be diverting resources away from fighting local issues like shoplifting and antisocial behaviour.

But the heads of Counter Terrorism Policing, the Metropolitan Police and National Police Chiefs’ Council warned the transition must be done carefully.

In a joint statement, they said: “Modern crime requires a modern policing response. We support and have been calling for this ambitious step to bring together some of the most capable policing teams in the country into a single National Police Service.

“This builds on the high international regard that already exists amongst partners for Counter Terrorism Policing, whose capabilities and professionalism are recognised globally. This transformation, however, must be delivered with care. Its success depends on maintaining strong connections with local policing and the communities we serve.

"Neighbourhood officers remain indispensable in disrupting organised crime and countering terrorism. Their relationships, insights and presence on the ground are foundational to public safety.'

Once up and running, the NPS will set standards and training for policing and buy new technology such as facial recognition on behalf of all police forces. The service would share technology, intelligence and resources across borders and be created in stages.

Head of the Metropolitan Police Sir Mark Rowley has previously supported the idea of the national responsibility for counterterrorism being removed from his force.

Graeme Biggar, director general of the National Crime Agency, which would be scrapped under the plans, is also supporting the proposals. "I am proud of the brilliant work NCA officers do to protect the public from serious and organised crime and new and emerging threats,” he said.

"But the overall policing system is out of date. Crime has changed, technology has changed, and how we respond needs to change.

"As part of reform, we need a single, stronger national law enforcement body, building on the NCA and others, to more coherently tackle organised crime, fraud, terrorism and the new international and online threats we face.

"These are threats that affect us all locally but need a national and international response."

Shabana Mahmood is already expected to slash the overall number of forces from their current level of 43 under a White Paper, due to be published on Monday.

The Home Secretary has previously said that the structure of 43 forces in England and Wales is "irrational", and police chiefs have called for radical reform of the set-up, backing a system with fewer, but larger, forces.

Reacting to the move on Friday, though, the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners said the creation of regional forces would be expensive, time-consuming and risks separating police forces from their communities.

Ministers have already announced plans to scrap police and crime commissioners in 2028 to save at least £100 million and help fund neighbourhood policing. Instead, mayors and council leaders will take up the responsibilities of policing arrangements.