Politics · United Kingdom · 17 hrs ago
Eight England and Wales forces carried out no undercover work last year
Eight of England and Wales’s 43 police forces carried out no undercover investigations last year.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley did not name the forces, but said the gap raised questions about whether undercover tactics are available wherever needed.
Rowley says covert policing is needed to tackle child abuse and drug crime, including online and on the streets.
Police have also used undercover officers to infiltrate organised crime groups and gather evidence against grooming gangs.
Police chiefs want a National Police Service for the most serious and complex crimes, backed by up to ten regional forces and hundreds of local policing commands.
The Metropolitan Police has faced criticism over its past covert surveillance of activists and left-wing groups, and a public inquiry into the matter is ongoing.
The proposed reforms are estimated to cost about £2 billion, while Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s blueprint says a National Police Service could save £350 million for frontline policing; Rowley said reform cannot replace investment.
Eight police forces in England and Wales carried out no undercover investigations last year, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said.
Rowley did not name the forces, which are among the 43 forces in England and Wales.
He warned that some forces could lose the ability to use covert tactics, which police use to investigate crimes including child sexual abuse and drug dealing.
Police chiefs are calling for a National Police Service and larger regional forces to support specialist work.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced a reform blueprint earlier this year, including a proposed National Police Service.
- Who
- Eight of the 43 police forces in England and Wales. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley disclosed the figure.
- What
- The forces carried out no undercover investigations last year.
- When
- Last year, according to Rowley. The statement was reported on 9 November 2026.
- Where
- England and Wales.
- Why
- Rowley said the figure raises questions about whether undercover tactics are available wherever needed.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced a reform blueprint that included a National Police Service.
Rowley set out policing reform plans in Manchester.
Rowley disclosed that eight forces had carried out no undercover investigations last year.
- Forces with no undercover investigations
- 8
- Total forces in England and Wales
- 43
- Proposed national body
- National Police Service
- Proposed regional forces
- Up to 10
What people are saying
a serious question about whether these tactics are available wherever they are needed
All 43 small forces can't do all the specialist things - sometimes those local forces almost forget how to use the tactics and don't do it, and then you're hiding the problems you're facing.
It's a critical part of policing, just like the officer walking down the street.
Reform is essential, but it cannot substitute for investment.