THE county's police authority has unanimously supported a merger to form a new regional police force.

It was agreed at a meeting on December 14 that a merger was the best way forward and chairman Phil Blundell said there was general acceptance that, as the smallest police force in England, Warwickshire would benefit from it.

Chief Constable John Burbeck said the proposed new force would be better equipped to share intelligence, deal with serious crime and the threat of terrorism.

He said the four-force option - combining Warwickshire, Staffordshire, West Mercia, and West Midlands - would free up people to be deployed into preventing major crime and improving community policing.

"The current arrangements have lasted since the late 1960s.

"We want these changes to be able to provide the best possible policing for the next 30 to 40 years," he added.

A regional team including representatives from the four forces and authorities has prepared a business case for the regional option, which will be submitted to the Home Secretary on December 23.