Thames Valley Police 'may cut 10% of workforce'

Chief Constable Sara Thornton said non-essential activity would be cut

More than 800 jobs could be cut by Thames Valley Police, its chief constable has warned.

The force, which covers Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, says it needs to make £52m of savings over the next four years.

Chief Constable Sara Thornton said the figures could not be confirmed until the force's government grant was announced in the coming weeks.

She said the force would have to cut back on all non-essential activity.

Ms Thornton said: "We are at the beginning of a very difficult period."

She added: "We have worked with police authority colleagues to develop a productivity strategy and over £47m of savings have been identified.

"The paper presented to the authority suggested that over 800 posts will go over the four year period - about 10 per cent of the workforce."

Last month Ms Thornton warned the 16% cut in police budgets outlined in the government's Spending Review would result in "noticeable reductions in service".