Nick Herbert appointed Shadow Minister for Police Reform

Arundel & South Downs MP Nick Herbert has been appointed Shadow Minister for Police Reform by the new Conservative Party Leader, David Cameron.

Mr Herbert will work with Shadow Home Secretary David Davis at a time when the future shape of policing is the subject of national debate. 

David Cameron has made police reform one of his priorities and specifically referred to it in his leadership acceptance speech last week.

Mr Herbert will make his debut at the Dispatch Box in a debate on the restructuring of police forces on Monday 19 December.

He said: "I am delighted to be taking on this job.  I will be working on ideas to make the police more efficient and accountable.  However, an immediate challenge is to resist the Government's ill-judged and rushed plans to abolish county police forces and create bigger regional forces."

Mr Herbert added: "I want to see neighbourhood policing which is responsive and accountable to local communities.  I also want to make sure that we have a police service which is able to deal with modern security threats and levels of crime which remain far too high."

The Home Secretary has proposed a "strategic force" which could cover Surrey, Sussex and Kent, or Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire.

The Sussex Police Authority meets this week (Thursday 15 December) to consider its response.  The Chairman, Councillor Peter Jones, and Chief Constable Ken Jones have recommended that the Authority should not agree to amalgamation.

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