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Brutal Tory cuts could result in the number of police officers being slashed by 22,000 to its lowest in nearly 40 years.

Chancellor George Osborne has ordered Whitehall departments with unprotected cash pots, including the Home Office, to draw up plans for cuts of up to 40%.

Officer numbers in England and Wales already plunged by 17,000, including 12,000 in frontline policing, over the last five years.

And independent analysis for Labour suggests harsher cuts loom, reducing levels by some 22,000 to 105,000 by 2020.

The previous lowest figure was 106,732 in 1978.

(Image: PA)

Shadow Home Secretary Andy Burnham said: “With violent crime rising, now is not the time to cut the police.

"While some savings can be made, cuts in double figures will put public safety at risk.”

And he warned: “If cuts on this scale go ahead, it will take thousands of bobbies off the beat and signal the end of neighbourhood policing as we have known it.

"Every person and every community in the land will be affected.”

(Image: Jeff J Mitchell)

The drastic cuts mean officer numbers will have been slashed by 27% since the Tories came to power.

The potential impact would be Greater Manchester and West Midlands forces each losing 1,300 officers, Merseyside 700 and South Wales 500 according to the analysis, which is based on earlier cuts.

Even smaller forces such as Dyfed Powys and Warwickshire would lose 100 officers each, it claims.

Potential impact of cuts

Critics fear low-level crimes would not be investigated, while violent offences could soar.

The Mirror told last week how crime victims are being asked to speak to police on Skype instead of being interviewed at home.

And it has emerged seven police and crime bosses have written to Police Minister Mike Penning warning of legal action over the Government’s “unfair, unjustified and deeply flawed” funding overhaul, separate from looming cuts.

(Image: PA)

Ministers claimed the reforms will put police funding “on a long-term, sustainable footing”.

But Police Federation chairman Steve White said: “If we are to be able to properly protect the public, it is vital we don’t see any more [cuts].”

Figures show Whitehall funding to forces fell 25% from £9billion to £6.7billion between 2010-11 and 2015-16.

(Image: Getty)

Meanwhile shock figures reveal more than 4,000 non-emergency 101 calls went unanswered by Humberside Police in January, rising to 11,226 in May and peaking at 11,335 in June.

Supt Mark Johansson said measures had led to “a substantial and necessary reduction in abandoned calls”.