East Hampshire police could be reorganised into a super command area that would see Petersfield, Bordon and Liphook into the same operational unit as big towns such as Aldershot and Basingstoke. The Chief Constable of Hampshire, Paul Kernaghan, has announced plans to reorganise the force boundaries with the aim, he says, of creating an organisation fit to meet all the policing challenges that lie ahead. The announcement follows a review of the structure of the force commissioned by Mr Kernaghan late in 2004. The proposed structure will mean that Hampshire Constabulary will consist of six basic command units (BCUs) rather than the current 10. BCUs would also be renamed "operational command units" to reflect the change. The new structure was developed by a review team based on feedback received during consultation sessions held with staff in BCUs and other departments. "The proposal aims to provide Hampshire Constabulary with a better corporate structure and greater capacity to deliver an effective police service," said Mr Kernaghan. Under the new structure each operational command unit will be headed by a chief superintendent, and the same command structure will exist throughout all six. The move comes only a year after the amalgamation of Petersfield and Whitehill's police management and emergency response unit into the Longmoor division. East Hampshire district councillor Anna James said she was worried about the implications of the proposed changes for Liphook. "We're right on the border, people think that we are not in Hampshire," said Mrs James, who lives in Bramshott. "If officers don't know the area it could take them an extra 10 minutes to find us." Adam Carew, one of Whitehill's district councillors and prospective parliamentary candidate for the Liberal Democrats, was more cautious. "We shall have to wait and see how this reorganisation pans out," he said, adding that he hoped the issue would be discussed at the next meeting of EHDC's north east area community committee. A review team headed by Chief Superintendent Dan Clacher was appointed to examine the structure of the organisation. The team was made up of senior police officers and civilian staff from the constabulary. The next stage for the review team is to consult staff to examine working practices throughout the force. The team is due to report its findings by March. Detailed proposals for any changes are yet to be developed, along with consideration of the timescales. "It must be clear that any changes deliver obvious, unambiguous improvements in our delivery of policing," said Mr Kernaghan. "Getting this stage of the change process right is critical to the future of Hampshire Constabulary. "The contribution of staff so far in this process has been significant in developing the emerging structures and I am confident that their engagement in this next phase will further enhance our progress."
