LONDON, January 25. /TASS/. The UK authorities will establish the National Police Service (NPS), a new unit that will investigate the most serious crimes in England and Wales, such as terrorism, organized crime, and fraud, The Guardian reported, citing Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.

According to the newspaper, the new agency, which it describes as analogous to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), will take on the responsibility of combating serious crime. Currently, this task is assigned to the National Crime Agency (NCA), regional divisions, and, in the case of terrorism, to Scotland Yard. "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. In doing so, local forces will be able to spend more time fighting crime in their communities," the newspaper quoted Mahmood as saying. She acknowledged that the current model of policing in the UK is outdated, as it was "built for a different century."

The NPS chief will be the highest-ranking police officer in the UK. According to the article, he or she will also be responsible for introducing advanced technologies, such as automatic facial recognition, across the country.

The National Police Chiefs' Council, Scotland Yard, and its counterterrorism unit issued a joint statement supporting the creation of the new agency. NCA Director General Graeme Biggar also expressed his support: "Crime has changed, technology has changed, and how we respond needs to change. <…> These are threats that affect us all locally, but need a national and international response. Such a body would enable us to improve how we protect the public, our communities and the country," said the head of the NCA, which is set to become part of the new agency.