Detectives from Surrey will investigate Sussex murders under a police merger taking place.

Senior officers in Surrey and Sussex have decided major crime investigations should be run by a joint team as part of a £7 million savings programme.

Rank-and-file officers’ representatives said they have “reservations” about the changes, which are being made as Sussex Police search for £52 million of savings.

From Monday August 15 a joint major crime investigation team is being created, made up of officers from both forces.

Work is also under way to merge firearms and scientific support provision.

Assistant Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney, of Sussex Police, has taken on a joint role between the two forces, spending half her time in each county, to oversee the changes.

Surrey Police’s Detective Superintendent John Boshier is to lead a major crime investigation team based on a pool of dedicated detectives.

When murders are committed, he will assign officers and resources to the investigation – meaning Surrey officers could be investigating crimes in Sussex while Sussex officers lead inquiries in Surrey.

The savings come from the ability to halve numbers in management roles and to implement Government policy changes once, rather than twice.

Senior Sussex Police officers believe the forces will benefit from working together, increasing preparedness for major incidents such as the Sarah Payne or Milly Dowler murder inquiries, and using money more efficiently.

Similar changes are expected when firearms and forensics units in the two counties are merged over the coming months.

Staff are currently being consulted over a reduction in posts resulting from those changes.

The force has predicted it must lose 500 officers and 550 staff by 2015 to make the budget cuts required by the Government.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “This will inevitably lead to cost savings but it is about more than that.

“It is about allowing officers to work across two areas to better serve members of the public in those areas.”

Mark White, secretary of Sussex Police Federation – which represents rank and file officers – said: “Collaboration is inevitable in the financial climate.

“We have our reservations as to whether it will be as successful as working individually.

“We’ll keep an open mind because it hasn’t started yet.

“We are hoping the service provided to the public of Sussex will not diminish in any way. If it is leading to a drop in service we will be the first to say so.”

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