Cleveland Police chief calls for larger force as £2m crash-response funding is criticised as inadequate

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood pledged £2m extra to Cleveland Police after the fatal A66 crash, as the chief constable called for the force to join a larger one.

• The 22 August A66 crash near Middlesbrough killed two police officers and five young men; the pursuit was abandoned 10 seconds before the collision, the IOPC said.
• Mahmood announced the additional £2m for Cleveland Police, with about 200 officers drafted in from elsewhere to tackle serious crime.
• Chief Constable Victoria Fuller said Cleveland, which records the highest crime rate in England and Wales, is staffed as if rural and needs to join a larger force with more resources.
• Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey called the £2m "insulting" and "performative", saying Cleveland needs at least £20m a year extra to recruit 200 more officers.