Police to lose 10,000 officers by 2013 – Labour

The figure is based on the government’s spending review, which has set police budget cuts at 20 per cent by 2014-15.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Far from protecting the frontline policing as ministers promised, over 10,000 police officers are being cut in the next few years alone.

“That’s 10,000 fewer police officers fighting crime, solving serious cases, or keeping our country safe.

“Cutting so fast and so deep into police budgets is crazy.”

The research looked at all 42 police authorities (with the exception of City of London Police and non-geographical forces), but Ms Cooper said today’s figures were “only the beginning” because only two-thirds of forces had announced their cuts in officers for next year.

The government says it wants to avoid any reduction in the visibility of police on the streets. It has stressed that what matters is police efficiency and effectiveness, not the total size of the police workforce.

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) refused to comment on the figures because it was a “political issue”.

But in the wake of the October spending review, Chief Constable Grahame Maxwell said: “The cumulative impact of cutting police budgets year-on-year will translate into reductions of police officers and staff across the service.”

Paul McKeever, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: “Such harsh cuts to policing will result in a charge for the worst which could compromise public safety.”

For a breakdown of the Labour party figures, go to the Police Professional website