Hundreds of police set to be removed from Sussex's streets may not be reinstated by a Labour government, the party has admitted.

Shadow Policing Minister Vernon Coaker, said cuts would not be as deep under his party, but would not confirm that the predicted reduction of 500 officers by 2015 could be reversed.

Bob Brown, of Sussex Police Federation, said he feared the reduction would be permanent.

He said: "Recent history shows that once you lose something, it takes an awful long time to reinstate.

"Once it's in place it will be very difficult to reinstate the staff."

Sussex Police plans to cut a total of 1,050 officer and back-office posts.

Ahead of his speech to the Labour conference in Liverpool today, Mr Coaker also told The Argus his party would field candidates for the controversial post of elected police commissioners, despite opposing the policy.

However, he said Labour would reconsider its position if the Conservatives chose to support independent candidates for November 2012 instead.

The Police and Crime Commissioners, who would have a salary of £120,000, would replace Sussex Police Authority and have an unfettered power to sack Sussex Police Chief Constable Martin Richards.

Mr Coaker said it was ridiculous to expect a candidate to have the local knowledge to cover an entire police force area such as Sussex.

He will also call today for police forces to be compensated directly for the expenses they incurred during the riots.

Sussex Police sent support to London to provide assistance to the Metropolitan Police and a helicopter was used to check urban areas like Crawley for trouble.