UNION bosses have condemned the policing budget cuts, estimating that some 1,150 police jobs may go.

Yvonne Cleary, the Unison regional organiser for Hampshire & Isle of Wight Police says progress made over the last year was “under attack”.

She said: “The four per cent a year cuts will mean over 17 per cent less staff by 2015 to keep our communities safe. “For Hampshire and IoW Constabulary this will mean around 1,150 police jobs (police officers, staff and community support officers). One-sixth of the workforce.”

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“Crime in Hampshire and Isle of Wight fell by 10 per cent last year and is at its lowest, nationally, for 30 years. This progress and Hampshire/Isle of Wight’s policing strategy is under attack from the Conservative-Liberal Democrat cuts.”

She added: “The idea that community support officers, emergency control room operators, detention officers, clerical and fingerprinting staff are not front-line is nonsense. “Modern policing depends on fine-tuned teamwork. Hampshire & IoW Constabulary, like other forces, spends 80 per cent of it’s budget on people. A 17 per cent cut is a threat to modern policing and to our communities.”

Meanwhile, the body that represents rank and file police officers in Hampshire has given a mixed reaction to today’s government spending plans.

Policing budgets are due to be slashed by four per cent a year in each of the next four years – around 14 per cent in total.

But Hampshire police chiefs had catered for a 25 per cent cut in the same period, amounting to potential job cuts of some 1,400.

John Apter from Hampshire Police Federation said: “Four per cent cuts year on year over four years will have an impact, Policing will have to change to face what will be difficult times ahead. I am disappointed that Policing was not treated as a priority, at times of heightened security it is the Police who people depend on to protect them’.

“In anticipation of 25 per cent cuts Hampshire’s Chief Constable Alex Marshall suggested that he would have to reduce the Force by 1400, 400 of them being Police Officers.

John Apter said: “Now that we know how deep the cuts will be the Chief Constable must give officers and staff clarity on how the cuts will be managed. The most damaging part of this process has been uncertainty, we now have that and I would urge the Chief Constable to bring some clarity and reassurance for his Officers and staff.”