THE decision that Surrey Police should merge with Sussex as a single strategic crime- fighting force has been attacked by South West Surrey MP Jeremy Hunt as "a slap in the face for a police force that has made huge strides in improving community policing". Mr Hunt, speaking out in the wake of Monday's announcement by Home Secretary Charles Clarke, revealed that Surrey MPs have asked to see Hazel Blears, the minister responsible for policing, to discuss funding, but their request has been refused. "Why on earth are we proceeding with a huge organisational distraction when the police should be focusing on fighting crime?" asked the MP. Surrey MPs fear that a combined Surrey/ Sussex force will mean Surrey's local police will be more thinly spread, because manpower will be needed in Sussex hotspots such as Brighton and Hastings. "Merging with Sussex will only make Surrey Police less connected with the local communities they serve. Once again the government has succumbed to its centralising instincts, and I fear the consequences will be more bureaucracy and less local policing," said Mr Hunt. He said the decision had been taken by the Home Secretary against advice from both Surrey and Sussex Police Authorities and repeated warnings from Home Office officials . And he referred to revelations in The Daily Telegraph that internal advice had been given to Home Office ministers that mergers such as this one, would be too expensive and too disruptive. Ministers were advised to focus on improving and extending co-operation between forces rather than embarking on a wholesale re-organisation. "There are already close and effective working relationships between Surrey and its neighbouring police forces, including Sussex," said Mr Hunt. He suggested that the most important cooperative partnership - between Surrey and the Metropolitan Police - could be disrupted by the merger. "Reorganisation at this key time of threat is likely to hinder rather than progress anti- terrorism action," he commented.
