PLANS to radically overhaul Warwickshire Police could see the force undergo the biggest transformation in its 150-year history.

If given the go-ahead, the force will use a model of policing not tested anywhere in the country.

The Warwickshire Police Authority, the watchdog that sets the force's budget and targets, will discuss the proposals today.

Chief Constable Keith Bristow carried out a comprehensive review of the force after plans to merge Warwickshire with neighbouring forces were abandoned.

It had been accepted that in its current form the force - the smallest in the country - could not continue to provide neighbourhood policing and handle major incidents, serious and organised crime and terrorism.

Now Mr Bristow will present his proposals on how to better meet these challenges with the 1,000 officers he has at his disposal.

His plan is to reshuffle the structure of the force to increase the focus on local policing.

A spokesman for Warwickshire Police Authority said: "Warwickshire Police is recommending that local policing teams - Safer Neighbourhood teams - continue to be the foundation for tackling force and local policing priori-ties."

The five borough teams would remain, including Rugby and Nuneaton and Bedworth, but the two "basic command units" - one in the north and one in the south of the county - would be scrapped.

Warwickshire is the first force in the country to propose scrapping the basic command unit model of policing.

The higher level services they provide, such as counter terrorism, tackling serious and organised crime and murder investigations, would be placed in a single protective services directorate.

Management of staff and buildings would be concentrated in a new resources directorate.