THREE east London police forces are merging in the fight against the predicted rise in crime across the capital.

The Metropolitan Police Service has revealed (November 18) Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham, and Havering Borough Police forces will be working together from January next year.

The new east London force is part of the Met’s trial that aims to move away from borough-by-borough policing towards larger, more efficient teams.

In north London, Camden and Islington will also be joining forces.

Met bosses have been considering changing the 32-borough basic command unit (BCU) system for a long time in a drive to improve efficiency.

The new model aims to better manage how officers respond to crime reports, how they protect the vulnerable, and victims of sexual and domestic abuse.

Officers, police cars and other facilities will be shared across Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham, and Havering during the trial.

The joint force will be headed up by an interim commander and a chief superintendent, who will be supported by four others.

Each borough will also get their own superintendent.

The Met claims London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s promise to have two officers on patrol in every council ward by the end of 2016 will not be compromised by the move.

The new model will mean even more dedicated ward officers in Redbridge, as well as more staff committed to supporting young people.

Met Police deputy assistant commissioner Mark Simmons, who is leading the east London test, said: "Change is important for the Met to remain operationally effective in the changing policing landscape.

“We want to invest more into neighbourhood policing and protect vulnerable people across London as well as make sure we are able to deal with predicted increases in demand.

"We also want to implement a way of investigating crime that is more focused on what victims need and can be even more effective in tackling serious offending.”

His City Hall colleague, Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime Sophie Linden added: “Restoring real neighbourhood policing is our top priority.

“We want people to know their local officer, to build the trust of communities and for people to have the confidence to report crime to the police.

"We have already announced a second dedicated neighbourhood officer across London by the end of 2017.

“But we want to go further and ensure that the right specialist resources are in place to tackle more complex issues, such as sexual offences.

“To achieve this, the Met believes it needs to organise itself in fewer, larger units, reducing the amount spent on management and maximising the amount spent on operational policing.”

The Met says it will roll out the new model across the capital if they see positive change in test areas like Redbridge.