Why police forces need to merge, by former Yard chief Lord Stevens said the present system often gets in the way of joint 'cross border' operations by police Outlined plans for radical shake-up as he presented findings of an independent review of the future of policing, commissioned by Labour Party Lord Stevens said the present system of 43 forces in England and Wales 'creates unnecessary duplication' A number of police forces should be merged because the present national police structure is inefficient and "untenable," a former Scotland Yard chief said yesterday. Lord Stevens said the present system of 43 forces in England and Wales "creates unnecessary duplication" and often gets in the way of joint "cross border" operations by police. He outlined plans for a radical shake-up as he presented the findings of an independent review of the future of policing, commissioned by the Labour Party. Seven years ago Labour tried unsuccessfully - while in Government - to streamline the number of forces in England and Wales. But Lord Stevens, who headed the Independent Police Commission for Labour, said the time was right to reconsider the idea as his inquiry team could find nobody in favour of retaining the current structure of 43 separate police force. He added, however, that there was no consensus about a better alternative. He said: "The Commission makes a clear recommendation that change is essential and believes there are three serious options. These are locally-negotiated mergers and collaboration agreements, a co-ordinated amalgamation into approximately ten regional forces, or the creation of a national police service. In recognition of policing scandals including Hillsborough and the Plebgate row involving former chief whip Andrew Mitchell, Lord Stevens also recommended a fundamental shake-up of professional standards in forces in England and Wales. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) would be scrapped and replaced by a new Independent Police Standards Commission (IPSC), he said. His report - much of which will feature in Labour's next General Election manifesto - also recommended a new status of "chartered police officer," in addition to the office of constable. The reform would bring the police into line with other professions such as nursing and accountancy, with officers registered with the College of Policing which could strike them off for failing to meet professional standards. The College of Policing would decide misconduct hearings in public, unlike the current, behind-closed doors, disciplinary process. Lord Stevens outlined plans for a radical shake-up of policing as he presented the findings of an independent review of the future of policing, commissioned by the Labour Party The Stevens report said: 'The presumption should be for total transparency - with open, public hearings for decisions on serious misconduct - rather than the muddled regime of partially open hearings and judgments which currently prevails. Police officers found to have committed serious misconduct by the College of Policing board should be struck off from the register. Lord Stevens - who was Met chief between 2000 and 2005 - said there were 37 'radical' recommendations in his report, including a commitment to neighbourhood policing as the 'building block of fair and effective policing'. His report, billed as the most comprehensive inquiry into policing for half a century, said: 'A spate of organisational failures and scandals over recent years has badly damaged public confidence in the integrity of the police. It is vital this situation is put right. Recent experience has found wanting the existing system which separates the monitoring of organisational performance from the investigation of police complaints. Yvette Cooper said she expects her Party to implement majority of the commission's recommendations The Stevens report also said the elected police and crime commissioner model is 'systemically flawed as a method of democratic governance" and should be scrapped in 2016, at the end of the term of office of the 41 serving PCCs. Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who was at the launch of the report with Labour leader Ed Miliband, said she expects her Party to implement majority of the commission's recommendations for policing reform. She ruled out a national police force, saying: 'Our preference is for a voluntary and collaborative approach involving local communities and we also want more work done on savings that can be made to plough back into policing. We will not support a national force as we believe that would be too large, too centralised and the wrong approach. The last police mergers plan followed a report published by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary in 2005 which highlighted "significant weaknesses" in the 43 force structure. The report said larger amalgamated police forces would be better suited to tackling the modern threats of organised crime and terrorism. But amid huge embarrassment for the Labour Government, the plan proved deeply unpopular amongst police chiefs and fell apart the following year.