Police Hit Squads

Charles Clarke is now planning to send in management "hit squads" with powers to intervene directly in failing police divisions and poorly performing police authorities.

Sir Chris Fox, the president of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said that chief constables were concerned that Mr Clarke was expanding his powers without professional advice.

"These measures may lead to more centralised direction at a time when forces are trying to give a local response to local problems," he said. His criticism was echoed by Conservative and Liberal Democrat spokesmen, who criticised the "trend towards central control of the police" and the "carte blanche for the home secretary to meddle in the affairs of police authorities".