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Police staffing cuts
Police are axing 100 staff posts and merging units with other forces to plug a financial shortfall
The move is another blow to policing in Dacorum as it comes just months after the decision to close Hemel Hempstead's station cells to save cash.
Now officers have to take those arrested to Watford or Hatfield stations.
But Herts Constabulary insists the majority of staff cuts will go unnoticed by the public.
Spokesman Colin Connelly said: "The vast majority of these are back room administrative posts so in terms of frontline policing the public won't notice any difference.
"We won't cut police officer posts. We don't make police officers redundant but what might happen is if we get some of our older ones
retiring we might not replace them."
Meanwhile the force is appealing for volunteers to carry out administrative and analytical work, but says helpers will not be covering staff shortages or vacancies.
Leased police vehicles are also being slashed with patrol cars being cut by seven at Hemel Hempstead but the constabulary says these are being replaced by force owned vehicles.
The move has been criticised by Hemel Hempstead MP Mike Penning.
Despite the cuts the amount that residents pay for the force will rise from April with the average Band D property paying just under 10p a week extra for policing, or 5 a year.
The rise means current levels of neighbourhood policing teams can be maintained for at least another 12 months.
The force also aims to cut costs through collaboration with other forces, especially Bedfordshire.
It is also merging its three policing areas - central, western and eastern - into one local policing command unit and centralising the support and management of services, including custody and roads policing.
FOR FULL NEWS AND ANALYSIS SEE THE GAZETTE.
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Weather for Hemel Hempstead
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -6 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -5 C to -0 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South east
