Cambridgeshire police consultation over funding cuts

Cambridgeshire Police could face government funding cuts of £33m over the next four years, the deputy chief constable has said.

John Feavyour was speaking ahead of a consultation with some of the force's 2,500 officers and staff to find out where they think cuts could be made.

The force faces cutting £9m from its £130m budget by next April.

More than 20 police staff have already been made redundant as part of saving measures for this year.

'Unprecedented' cuts

Mr Feavyour said: "The worst case scenario of £33m less over the next four years would equate to losing all our police staff or 1,100 officers. These are both unrealistic propositions.

"We have so far been forced to make more than 20 police staff redundant and freeze recruitment to more than 50 more posts in order to find the £1.2m cut by the government from this year's budget.

"This cut was unprecedented and unexpected and it has already had a real impact on people's lives and families.

He said: "There is still another £7.8m to cut from our budget before next March, the equivalent of a further 200 police staff posts."

Mr Feavyour is visiting a number of police stations in the county to consult officers and staff.