Hampshire police to cut 160 jobs

Hampshire Constabulary is to cut 160 jobs over the next year as part of budget cuts.

Hampshire Police Authority met earlier to rubber-stamp proposals to save £20m over the next 12 months.

As part of the cuts, 82 police officer posts which are currently vacant will not be filled and 78 full-time backroom staff will also go.

The force's Chief Constable Alex Marshall said front-line officers would be protected until April 2012.

The force, which employs 6,700 staff, will have a budget of about £314m for the next financial year.

'Natural wastage'

Mr Marshall said the force was looking at protecting front-line services through to April 2015, as it faces cuts of £50m.

"Crime is falling, anti-social behaviour is down and I'm pleased with the way things are going," he said.

"What I would really like to do is to increase the number of people we have got in local visible roles.

"I accept there's always risks to this.... but so far I have protected front-line visible policing and numbers are going in the right direction."

The force will also save £1.13m through what it called "natural wastage", such as not filling posts when a staff member leaves.

John Apter, of the Hampshire Police Federation, which looks after the welfare of officers, said the cuts were only "the tip of the iceberg".

"I think it's a mixture of emotions because we knew this was coming, very deep and damaging cuts, so it's disappointing from my perspective that we are reducing police officer numbers," he said.

"However I am a realist and I understand the financial situation we are in needs difficult decisions to be made.

"They have made plans very early on, this has not come as a surprise."