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New 'British FBI' police service to become country's top crime agency

Published: 25 Jan. 2026, 12:56

A flag of the United Kingdom is seen at Eurostar terminal to London at Gare de Nord train station in Paris, France on April 2. 2025. [EPA/YONHAP]

Britain's government said on Saturday it will create a new National Police Service, described as a “British FBI,” to modernize policing and deal with terrorism, fraud, organized crime and other complex criminal activity.

The new force will bring together the work of the National Crime Agency, which investigates serious organized crimes such as drug smuggling and human trafficking, with other countrywide roles like counterterrorism and national road policing.

Once appointed, its chief — the National Crime Commissioner — will be the most senior officer in the country. Currently, the head of London's Metropolitan Police is Britain's highest-ranking law enforcement official.

Creation of the National Police Service will form part of major police reforms the government is due to unveil on Monday, which it is casting as the biggest shake-up in policing since Robert Peel established the first professional force in 1829.

“The current policing model was built for a different century,” Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, the UK's interior minister, said in a statement.

“We will create a new National Police Service — dubbed 'the British FBI' — deploying world-class talent and state-of-the-art technology to track down and catch dangerous criminals,” she said, likening it to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.

There are currently 43 local police forces in England and Wales, with some holding national roles, such as the London police, which is responsible for counterterrorism.

Mahmood said the shake-up would allow local forces to focus on dealing with everyday offenses, such as shoplifting and antisocial behavior, and catching criminals in their areas.

It is also expected that, as part of the changes announced on Monday, the government will cut the overall number of forces in Britain in a move to save money and reduce crime.

Reuters