West Yorkshire police to lose 1,000 jobs over 12 months

West Yorkshire Police must save £87m by 2015

Budget cuts mean that 1,000 staff are to lose their jobs at West Yorkshire Police over the next 12 months.

The Police Authority has approved its budget for the next four years and must save £87m by 2015.

It has been agreed that £37m needs to be saved in the next 12 months, reducing its current £450m budget.

Mark Burns-Williamson from West Yorkshire Police Authority admitted the cuts "will possibly lead to a rise in crime in certain categories".

The police authority said that of the 1,000 positions to go out of its 10,500-strong workforce about 750 would be lost through natural wastage although some compulsory redundancies were likely.

Mr Burns-Williamson said: "We are doing everything we can to protect the frontline policing.

"We're hoping to maintain at least the same level of performance over the next 12 months but of course beyond that when we're looking at nearly £90m over four years then that becomes much more difficult."

Serious crime

He added that to make the savings services such as fingerprint teams at residential burglaries could be cut back and those on the frontline would need to complete their own crime details.

Deputy Chief Constable David Crompton, said: "The way the budget cuts are structured is that we are looking to try and make all our savings through back office and administrative functions and then really do our absolute best to keep frontline resources at their current level.

"It would probably be a big leap to say that that will create a rise in crime, but of course the further we go with that type of process then there is that possibility."

Serous crime squads including those dealing with drugs, murders or child abuse will remain intact.

West Yorkshire Police is the fourth biggest force in the country, covering a population of about 2.2 million people.