THE way police tackle organised crime is set to be tightened up across the region with a new regional committee of five constabularies.

Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside Police Authorities have agreed to work more closely together via the new statutory body to provide motorway policing, underwater search, forensic and a regional crime unit.

Chairman of Cheshire Police Authority Margaret Ollerenshaw said: “We know that criminals don’t stop at geographic boundaries and together we have invested in tackling serious and organised crime.

“We are providing new ways for police forces to collaborate on issues that cross police force boundaries and disrupt criminal gangs which operate across the region.

“At the same time, we can maintain local accountability to our council taxpayers and continue to provide officers and staff in our neighbourhoods to solve local problems of crime and disorder.”