CALLS for police-force mergers in Wales and England are being made over concerns that smaller forces may be unable to deal with terrorism and organised crime.

Yet Gwent Police has demonstrated its ability in recent years to collaborate with other forces to tackle 21st-century crime.

Earlier this month Gwent Police led a hugely successful and large-scale security operation involving 23 other forces for the EU foreign ministers' summit at Newport's Celtic Manor Resort.

Bill Horne, Gwent's assistant chief constable, the commander of the biggest security operation ever seen in the force, involving 1,500 officers, said at the time: "This has shown that Gwent can host such high-profile events."

And in recent years, working closely with other forces, Gwent Police has enjoyed several high-profile successes in the war against organised drug barons.

Operation Corolla smashed a Jamaican Yardie drugs gang in Newport in 2002, and, a year later, Operation Othello destroyed a 'crime empire' planning to flood the streets of South Wales with £1m worth of cocaine, amphetamine and cannabis.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke announced last week his plans to press ahead with Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC)'s recommendations calling for a change in the structure of the 43 police forces in Wales and England.

Gwent is one of the forces facing a merger - either into an all-Wales or larger South Wales force - despite its outstanding record in crime detection, second only to smaller force Dyfed Powys, with a 42 per cent success rate for 2004/05.

The HMIC says in smaller forces "some hard drug markets (will) be more easily able to flourish".

And while the report concedes: "Whilst some forces do very well, and some larger forces less so, our conclusion is that below a certain size there simply is not a sufficient critical mass to provide the necessary sustainable level of protective services that the 21st century demands."

Since 2002 Gwent Police has worked closely with Dyfed Powys and South Wales Police as part of Operation Tarian - an intelligence-led crackdown on drug dealers.

Last year Operation Tarian+ was launched to co-ordinate the response to serious crime in the whole of the Principality to include North Wales Police.

Chief Constable Mike Tonge told the Argus the home secretary favours larger 'strategic' forces with greater numbers and capacity to deal with 'protective services' ie, terrorist incidents, major disasters and organised crime - but pledged that local people's views would be listened to.

The HMIC report, called Closing the Gap, highlights a shortfall across the police service in dealing with 'protective services'.

Mr Tonge said: "The four (Welsh) forces have been working closely to provide joined-up solutions to these gaps with teams like our Operation Tarian... and our All Wales Resilience Forum, which deals with potential emergencies and disasters."