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Hampshire police signs merger deal
By Stephen LloydJanuary 18, 2012
HAMPSHIRE and Thames Valley police have joined forces as part of a cost-cutting exercise.
The two police authorities have signed a legal agreement covering how they will share resources in the future.
The Joint Roads Policing Unit is set to become the first department to merge at the end of the month.
Other parts of the joint unit will follow, concluding with the implementation of the joint firearms unit after the London Olympics.
The two forces, which cover Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, decided to share resources in November 2010.
Hampshire Constabulary hosts the Joint Operations Department, which is being led by Chief Superintendent Chris Shead.
He said: “Over the coming year, the officers and staff within firearms, roads policing, dogs and operations will work more closely together to provide a quality service to the communities across the five counties of Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and the Thames Valley.
“Much has already been achieved in terms of planning and I would like to thank all those who have been involved so far.
“2012 will see further integration and development of the Joint Operations Unit, resulting in greater efficiency and the delivery of a service that both forces can be proud of.”
A spokesman for Hampshire Constabulary said that only two senior officers have formally transferred from Thames Valley Police and become Hampshire Constabulary officers – Ch Supt Shead and Superintendent Tony Ismay, who will lead the Joint Firearms Unit.
Both officers will now form part of the senior management team that will implement the changes.
“It is not expected that all officers in the joint unit will become Hampshire officers, but they may be seconded into particular units or projects while still remaining part of their ‘home’ force,” said the spokesman.
She added the changes would not routinely mean people in Thames Valley seeing Hampshire police officers patrolling their roads or vice versa.
“Where communities may see a difference is in those places where Hampshire and Thames Valley force areas share borders, for instance in the north of Hampshire where it borders Berkshire.
“In these border areas, we hope to eventually be able to deploy the nearest roads policing unit to help, particularly in the area of major or critical incidents.”
She added: “This will help us to continue to provide an excellent roads policing service to those border areas.”
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