London: The United Kingdom is planning to create an FBI-like police force, tentatively dubbed the National Police Service (NPS), which will be tasked with investigating serious crimes and aiding local police in tackling them, British media reported on Sunday.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated that the current policing model was created for a bygone era and highlighted the limitations faced by some local forces in tackling complex modern crimes such as fraud, online child abuse, and organized criminal gangs. Mahmood emphasized the need for a new National Police Service, which is already being dubbed "the British FBI," to deploy world-class talent and state-of-the-art technology to track down and apprehend dangerous criminals.
She further noted that the establishment of the NPS would enable local forces to dedicate more time and resources to fighting crime within their communities. The proposed force, which is set to be debated in the British parliament, will focus on handling crimes such as terrorism, fraud, organized crime, and other serious offenses.
The initiative aims to integrate the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Counter Terror Policing (CTP) under a national police commissioner, who will serve as the most senior police officer in the UK.