Northumbria Police force will lose 318 police officers and 825 police support staff as a result of the Government’s cuts to police funding.

In addition, a House of Commons Library analysis of Government funding for the police shows that Northumbria Police force faces cuts of £41.1m in real terms over the next two years alone.

In 2011/11, funding will be cut by 7.5 per cent in real terms or £19.7m.

In 2012/13, funding will be cut by 8.7 per cent in real terms or £21.3m.

Over the four years of the government’s Spending Review police forces will see their funding cut by around 20 per cent in real terms.

Bridget said:

“The Tories and Lib Dems have failed to protect policing and the fight against crime and anti-social behaviour. These are reckless cuts which will hit our area hard.

“By imposing cuts of this speed and scale the government has put Northumbria Police force in an impossible position. The Home Secretary has ignored warnings that this could mean around 20,000 fewer police officers across the country.

“I am very concerned about how these cuts will affect policing in our area. They will undermine all the progress we have made to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in our community.”

The BBC has published an article on the cuts to Northumbria Police force, which you can readhere.