Only 14% of police officers are on “frontline” duties in Sussex at any one time, it has emerged.

HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) released the figures yesterday as it set out a definition of the roles after the description became commonly used in debates about cuts.

HMIC defined frontline roles as “those who are in everyday contact with the public and who directly intervene to keep people safe and enforce the law”.

In Sussex Police, that would apply to 814 officers or staff at any one time, out of a total estimated strength of 5,815.

Police bosses last night defended the figures and said policing was about more than visibility.