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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Up to 40,000 front-line police jobs 'at risk' | Up to 40,000 front-line police jobs 'at risk' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| As many as 40,000 front-line police jobs will be at risk across England and Wales if expected 25% budget cuts go ahead, the Police Federation has said. | As many as 40,000 front-line police jobs will be at risk across England and Wales if expected 25% budget cuts go ahead, the Police Federation has said. |
| The body, which represents English and Welsh police officers, said such a staffing reduction would make policing as it is now "unsustainable". | The body, which represents English and Welsh police officers, said such a staffing reduction would make policing as it is now "unsustainable". |
| The Police Federation said it was inevitable crime would go up. | The Police Federation said it was inevitable crime would go up. |
| Policing and Criminal Justice Minister Nick Herbert has called on the Police Federation to avoid scaremongering. | Policing and Criminal Justice Minister Nick Herbert has called on the Police Federation to avoid scaremongering. |
| The cut to the police budget in England and Wales is generally expected to total 25% - in line with other government cutbacks - but the exact level will not be known until the current spending review is published in October. | The cut to the police budget in England and Wales is generally expected to total 25% - in line with other government cutbacks - but the exact level will not be known until the current spending review is published in October. |
| Mr Herbert told the BBC that the Police Federation was simply speculating at this stage. | |
| "We do have to be careful not to make assumptions and then to follow on from that with suggestions that may unnecessarily alarm the public," he said. | |
| "Very large sums of money are still going to be made available to policing. | |
| "Of course there will have to be savings, we have been quite clear about that." | |
| He added that while police forces will have to find their share of savings, the government believed they could be found, "particularly in regard to police forces working more efficiently, savings in the back room, and forces collaborating on procuring equipment". | |
| 'Christmas for criminals' | |
| The Police Federation's warning came after Hampshire Constabulary said it planned to axe 1,400 posts - 20% of its workforce - including police officers. | The Police Federation's warning came after Hampshire Constabulary said it planned to axe 1,400 posts - 20% of its workforce - including police officers. |
| Figures from the federation also showed that the West Midlands force could lose up to 1,000 officers as it makes cuts of £140m. | |
| The data also indicated that Greater Manchester had already lost 221 officers since last December and North Wales would lose 251 in the next four years. | |
| Paul McKeever, chairman of the Police Federation, said it would be "Christmas for criminals" if a 25% cut to the police budget in England and Wales went ahead. | |
| He added that in addition to losing front-line staff, specialist departments such as those involved in child protection and domestic violence may have to be disbanded. | |
| "Crime is at the lowest level it has ever been in the last 30 years, I think it would be a dreadful shame if we threw that away now," he said. | |
| "We agree we have to take cuts, but not to the level the government is talking about." | |
| Mr McKeever added that Home Secretary Theresa May had been badly advised by people who "did not understand" the reality of the cuts. | |
| He called on her to fight the case for the police budget to be reduced by a much lesser amount. |