Cleveland Police to work more closely with Durham and North Yorkshire forces in bid to save cash

Major crime detectives could work across an area of the North stretching from Yorkshire to Durham under plans to merge departments from three police forces.

Cleveland Police has today announced plans to share some functions with Durham Constabulary and North Yorkshire Police as part of a major money-saving initiative named the ‘Evolve’ Programme.

During the first phase of the programme, the forces will focus on integrating major crime services, responses to civil emergencies and ‘disaster victim identification’.

And subsequent phases of Evolve will look at increasing collaboration across other specialist areas of the forces.

The force says the main purpose of the plans is to improve services for local people.

Acting Chief Constable for Cleveland Police, Iain Spittal, said: “My commitment is keeping our communities safe from serious threat, risk and harm, to reduce the number of victims of crime, and keep local policing at the cornerstone of the service we provide in Cleveland.

"The Evolve Programme will allow us to do this into the future as it is a common sense approach to policing in 2015 and beyond.

“I’m confident that by working alongside North Yorkshire Police and Durham Constabulary, we will enhance the service to the people of Cleveland.”

Barry Coppinger

Barry Coppinger, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland, said: “I’m very proud of how Cleveland has been at the forefront of collaboration for some time, as it is a key priority within my Police and Crime Plan.

"In my regular meetings with residents, they tell me that they value local policing – and that will remain – however with Evolve, it is right and makes absolute sense in these difficult and changing times to share some resources with our neighbouring forces.

“We have been rated as outstanding by HMIC for our financial plan and this programme allows us to go one step further so that we remain an efficient and effective police force.”

Cleveland and Durham forces have announced a series of department mergers over recent years.

In 2003, the two police services began to share a Tactical Training Centre, for firearms training.

And in 2010 roads policing units from the two forces were brought together.

Earlier this year a collaboration was announced between the two forces’ dog units.

Cleveland's motorbike section left the force area for a new base in Spennymoor, County Durham, in January.