Wales is a nation of just over three million people, yet it is policed by four separate forces: Dyfed-Powys, North Wales, South Wales and Gwent. The question of whether that is the best arrangement has been debated for years, but there is a growing case that Wales would be better served by a single national police force.

And with Prime Minister Andy Burnham determined to download powers to mayors and cities, Heddlu Cymru may not be too far off. Our Plain Cymru administration in Cardiff Bay would welcome that with open arms.

Policing rural Wales if a difficult challenge. The nature of crime is changing, there is an increasing emphasis on prevention, there is a need to tackle issues such as drug misuse through a more joined-up approach. These challenges are not unique to west Wales. They are reflected across the country.

A national force would not mean abandoning local policing. Communities in Ceredigion, Gwynedd or Pembrokeshire rightly expect neighbourhood officers who understand local concerns. But there is a difference between local policing and fragmented administration. Four chief constables, four headquarters structures and four separate approaches can create duplication at a time when public finances are under enormous strain.

The argument for reform becomes even stronger when considering the demands now placed on officers. Recent figures highlighted in material received by this publication showed Dyfed-Powys Police officers suffering hundreds of workplace injuries in just three years, many resulting from physical assaults. The pressures on frontline policing are increasing, not decreasing. A single Welsh force pools resources, specialist expertise and training, and ensures officers have equal access to support and equipment.

With Plaid in power, health, transport and economic development are increasingly discussed on an all-Wales basis. Policing remains divided into four organisational silos. A national force would provide clearer accountability and a stronger Welsh voice when dealing with Westminster, criminal justice agencies and cross-border crime. Local divisions, local stations and local commanders would still remain at the heart of community policing.

One nation deserves one strategic policing service - with strong local teams and national leadership.

It works in Scotland.