South West police forces agree regional Special Branch collaboration

Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables from the five south west forces have signed an agreement for Special Branch collaboration across the region.

Special Branch units from Devon and Cornwall, Avon and Somerset, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire police forces will unite under shared management for investigative and intelligence work. This includes counter terrorism and domestic extremism.

Devon and Cornwall PCC Tony Hogg says: “This is extremely good news and will fully demonstrate the effectiveness of regional collaboration. Although we live in one of the safest parts of the country, we must never become complacent. The attempted bombing in Exeter five years ago proved that we have to constantly review threats and our response to them.

"The creation of a regional Special Branch unit, combining the experience of officers from five forces, increases our resilience and ensures that we continue to feel safe in our local communities”.  

The extended south west regional collaboration builds on the existing arrangement between Wiltshire and Avon and Somerset’s Special Branch departments.

Collaboration will enhance the highly specialist protection provided by Special Branch to give a more effective and efficient service, and reduce costs without any reduction in the level or quality of service.

It will offer better value for the public in terms of management of threat and risk in the south west region.