GREATER Manchester Police is to cut 300 officers from its ranks as it moves to modernise the force.

The cuts will come through “natural wast-age” which means there will be no redundancies, but those officers who quit or retire will not be replaced.

However, police bosses say the move will enable them to streamline the force and enable them to move more officers on to the frontline while other office based jobs are “civilianised”.

Chief Constable Peter Fahy said: “Like all public services, the force is facing an uncertain financial future. All the forecasts are that there will be a significant reduction in funding in real terms over coming years.”

He said that GMP had been preparing for this situation and already has in place a “far reaching programme” looking at every aspect of the force’s activity to identify opportunities for savings without damaging frontline services.

Mr Fahy added: “The force will continue its work to identify savings in other areas, which will allow frontline service to be maintained, and indeed performance improved. We are also putting police staff recruitment on hold where appropriate while we review the situation.

“Over time there will be a reduction in the total number of officers in the force, but by taking that reduction from back office support positions and by reducing bureaucracy, the number of officers in operational positions can be maintained and their effectiveness increased,” he said.

Mr Fahy also said that GMP has one of the highest proportions of police officers compared to police staff in the country and spend more time out on the streets where the public can see them.