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Ian Learmonth explains
the possible staff cuts

Kent could lose 1,500 police staff and officers under a savage
spending review - that's the stark warning from the county's top
cop.

Kent Police Chief Constable Ian
Learmonth revealed today that 500 officers - roughly one
in seven - and 1,000 support staff face the axe.

It comes after the Home Office told the UK's police service
to get ready to shave 20 per cent off its budget.

That could mean Kent Police being forced to save £53
million over the next four years.

In a
message to staff and officers today, Chief Constable Ian Learmonth
said: "The Home Secretary has said her department may have to save
a significant proportion of its current budget and we have to
prepare for that.



"All areas of the force's business and budget are being
examined.

"Clearly this is a very sensitive area for everyone and we must
never lose sight of the fact we are dealing with peoples' jobs and
people's lives.

"We have to be honest with everyone about the challenge that
faces us and we will be."

Kent Police currently employs 3728 officers and 2932 civilian
staff.



Describing the review of police operations and services in Kent he
said: "We are working on a new policing model that safeguards the
front-line and focuses on cutting crime and reducing risk and harm
to the public.

"A number of possible structures and options are being
considered and work is still underway.

"Once we have the Comprehensive Spending Review results in
October we can finalise plans around a new model for the force and
go forward into 2011 with some level of certainty."



The final
figures won't be known until the Government completes its
Comprehensive Spending Review at the end of October.

Chief Constable Learmonth said the challenges facing police
forces across the country were "unprecedented" in his 36 years of
service.



He added: "However I am determined that whatever changes are made
we will continue to deliver the same quality service and maintain
the fall in crime that Kent has recorded over a number of
years.

"We are a 'can do' organisation and this is not the first time
forces have been asked to achieve budget reductions.



"Kent has a unique role in British policing because of our frontier
with Europe.

"Whatever changes take place I am determined that we will
maintain the same high quality of service and standards of
professionalism."

Chairman of Kent Police Federation, the union representing
rank and file officers, Ian Pointon expressed serious concerns
about the proposed cuts.

He said: "I think this is a stark warning for the people of Kent
that policing is going to change over the next four years.

"Five hundred officers are going to go and 1000 police
staff if the budget cut is levelled at 20 per cent and I think what
it does is, it puts to an end the government lie that we can save
billions of pounds out of public services by back office
efficiencies and cutting waste when the reality is that it means
less people in policing in Kent.

"People need to understand that as much as the chief is very
optimistic about being able to maintain policing services to the
people of Kent, I'm not so sure I share that optimism.

"I don't think you can take those numbers out of Kent Police
without affecting the policing service for the people of Kent.

"My plea to the people of Kent would be to lobby your MP, to say
that you're not satisfied with the level of cuts that are going to
be levelled on Kent Police, because it is going to change the
policing service the people in Kent get."