David Ruffley MP will be attending a top level meeting at Portcullis House, Westminster on Thursday 17 November to discuss the proposed restructuring of police forces in the East of England.

Suffolk Police Authority suggested four restructuring options in October 2005:

 Creating a regional 'super force' by merging all six East Anglian forces (Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk).

 Amalgamating Suffolk Constabulary with Norfolk and Cambridgeshire Constabularies.

 Amalgamating Suffolk Constabulary with Norfolk Constabulary and Essex Police.

 Maintaining and enhancing the 'status quo'- with Suffolk Constabulary continuing to police the county of Suffolk.

However, the Home Office stated last week that 'Maintaining and enhancing the status quo' was not an option and the Suffolk Constabulary must merge with neighbouring forces.

David said:

'The restructuring of the region's police force has very real implications for my constituents and for people across Suffolk.

'I will be challenging the Chief Constable to tell me what kind of consultation rules out one of the proposals before the end of the consultation period. As far as I am aware no consultation took place and the Home Office dismissed maintaining a separate force for Suffolk out of hand.

'The East of England has a population of nearly 5.5 million people and covers a vast area of over 19,000 square kilometres. Potentially the new force could deal with areas as different in demographics and geography as urban Hertfordshire and rural Suffolk.

'My fear is that due to the Government pressing ahead with these expensive and unwanted plans the people of Suffolk could lose contact with their local police force.

'Suffolk Constabulary has a record as a low cost and high performance force. This is a record worth protecting. The people of Suffolk do not want to be thrown in with forces that are completely different in nature and face vastly different problems.

'This is regionalisation by the back door and threatens to take more power away from our democratically elected County and Borough Councillors.

'I will be making my feelings clear at this important meeting and will do all I can to protect the needs of my constituents.'