Manchester Police to cut a quarter of jobs

One of Britain's biggest police forces has announced that it intends to shed nearly a quarter of its workforce over the next four years as spending cuts are implemented. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) will lose 1,377 of its 7,989 police officers and 1,567 of its 4,889 civilian staff in an attempt to make up a £134m shortfall in government funding.

Initially 400 police staff positions and 309 officer posts will go on 1 April 2011 with the others to follow in the next three years. Staff will be made redundant and will be told more about the plan in a meeting at Bolton's Reebok Stadium today.

Because police officers cannot be made redundant, GMP will enforce compulsory retirement on those who have served 30 years or more.

It is the first time a police force has detailed how many jobs will be lost since the Government's spending review last month, which imposed a 20 per cent cut on police budgets.