UNION chiefs warn that residents will end up protecting themselves in the face of police job cuts.

There are plans to cut 1,000 jobs at Sussex Police over the next five years.

But the Sussex Police and Justice Staff branch of Unison has slammed the changes – which will cut 500 police officer roles and up to 500 police staff.

In an open letter to the chief constable and the police and crime commissioner, branch secretary Andy Stenning warned the cuts risked losing the community’s trust.

He said: “Policing can never be fundamentally about finance – it should never be about what the police will provide and what the service can afford.

“If you walk that path then the service will diminish and communities will look to themselves to provide for their protection and security.”

Sussex Police has said its new local policing model is necessary to cope with an anticipated £56 million less from the Government by 2020, and the changing nature of crime such as more cyber crime and proportionately less criminal damage.

As well as the job losses, the force plans to make more use of technology so officers can be on the streets more, to give PCSOs more powers, and to reduce demand by not attending calls where a partner agency such as the council or health trust could.

Mr Stenning said the branch felt job losses were the “linchpin” of the project, rather than modernisation, adding: “Money is the ruler of the plan.”

He urged Chief Constable Giles York and PCC Katy Bourne to get the neighbourhood policing grant reinstated so that it can only be spent by forces on safer neighbourhood teams.

He wants to reverse cuts to neighbourhood policing and to modernise before looking for savings, rather than the other way around.

Mr Stenning added: “We look forward to working with other civil society organisations, politicians and service users to develop solutions to these challenges over the coming months.”

Chief Constable Giles York said the force had worked hard to create a plan that would create opportunities to improve, and that staff cuts followed cuts in other areas.

He said Mr Stenning had hit on “key issues that we are aware of and we are working into our plan”, adding: “Changes are very much dependant on the support of the public and our partners and we will be reinforcing these bonds.

“These changes will be made before we make the savings.”

He added: “The community can be assured that the model provides a named officer for every ward, local problem solving teams and partnership working.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said the policing funding challenge was “not unique”.

She said: “Neighbourhood policing in Sussex has remained broadly the same for the last 15 years and we now need a model that meets the demands of modern-day policing.”

She added: “My ongoing challenge to the Chief Constable will be that his new model must maintain public confidence and reassurance.”