NEWPORT'S police chief yesterday admitted he believed Gwent would be absorbed into an all-Wales force but is adamant local accountability and policing will not suffer.

Chief Superintendent Kevin Price, Newport's divisional commander, said he was "proud" of Gwent's achievements but said there were benefits to the Home Secretary's merger plans.

The Argus is running a campaign, backed by local politicians and residents, to save the Gwent force, which has an excellent detection rate, from a planned merger.

Charles Clarke wants Wales and England's 43 forces to be amalgamated into larger strategic-size forces which he believes will be better equipped to deal with global terrorism and organised crime gangs.

Chief Supt Price admitted that smashing a gang of Jamaican Yardies who had moved their deadly trade into Newport two years ago to deal cocaine had "significantly drained" him of resources.

He said the communities of Gwent would benefit from any planned merger through "specialist teams" who would in future be deployed to fight high- level crime.

He also said the "massive impact" of the terrorist atrocities in London in July showed how "stretched the Metropolitan Police became in responding" to them.

He said: "I do not believe any individual force in the current configuration would be able to respond effectively without the assistance provided by other forces - even the Met called in support."

Chief Supt Price said of the proposed merger: "No decision has been made yet, but I believe we will probably move to one strategic size force which incorporates all the Welsh forces.

"There have been occasions during my command in Newport when my resources have been significantly drained."

He said the need to destroy the Jamaican Yardie gang put pressure on frontline policing.

One of the "main benefits of an amalgamation" in combating such a problem in Newport or Gwent would be support provided by "the deployment of specialist teams, trained and experienced in dealing with threats beyond the capability of the division."

These would take the guise of major investigation teams or counter-terrorism units. He said: "This would mean the community would not suffer from the redeployment of neighbourhood officers who would continue with their commitment in responding to anti-social behaviour and low level crime."