GIVEN the scale of the cuts facing Humberside Police, the axe is being swung with substantial, albeit reluctant, force.
From the end of this month, the impact will be felt and, already, officers on the ground are fretting over their future.
The force is being made to make �22 million of budget cuts across the next four years.
Steve Garmston, chairman of the Humberside Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, told the Mail he was concerned what would be left after the cuts have been implemented.
He said: "We understand the chief officers have to make the cuts.
"The money is not coming from Government, but that doesn't mean we are not worried.We are watching with grave concern."
Few could criticise the sentiment, especially considering the Government is now taking stock of a review that detailed a need for police pay to be reduced.
The full impact of the report will not be known for some time, but within weeks, some changes are going to be felt.
In the 12 months from April this year, senior officers have earmarked savings of more than �7.5 million.
This translates to almost 80 police officers and 85 staff members – an almost 10 per cent reduction in posts in the first year.
The biggest and, to many, the most surprising strike, is aimed directly at the force's Major Incident Team (MIT).
The officers here deal with murder, people trafficking, kidnap, child abductions, blackmail and high-profile missing people.
They are the best and most highly trained detectives Humberside Police has.
Alongside the MIT in this first year of cuts, the test purchasing team, which monitors shops, pubs, clubs and restaurants selling alcohol to under-18s is to be hit, and so are detectives dealing with burglary, robbery, and car crime.
The divisional investigative teams, which deal with those everyday crimes, will lose 27 officers this year.
The police call centre at Hessle is expected to lose six officers and 20 staff, the dog section will see a reduction of four posts and the mounted section two.
Crash investigators and vehicle inspection teams will see seven posts go. The incident response teams are also being hit, the desk staff will lose jobs, and nor will the back office escape. Staff in human resources and buildings maintenance will see posts go.
Once the coming financial year's savings have been made, they will be followed swiftly by another �5.3 million of savings – or 53 officers and 32 staff.
Again, from the MIT. Again, detectives on the front line.
By the third year, 2013 to 2014, more than �7 million will once again be stripped away – and neighbourhood policing is set to suffer, with 45 PCSOs in the neighbourhood teams going.
That year will also see the an attack on the mounted section, public order teams, firearms officers, an officer trained in chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear matters, together with special branch and the serious crime section.
The following year, only �2.6 million of savings are earmarked but, once again, the neighbourhood policing teams are to be hit. This time, 35 police officers will go.
With every swoop, tens of thousands of pounds are erased from the budget in a bid to meet the �22 million target set by the Government.
Mr Garmston said: "With cuts to back-office functions and cuts to police officers, those left will be expected to be doing more and more. We need to start talking about what we won't be doing any more.
"Resilience is a huge issue. With less officers and less staff to back them up, the resilience of the force will be greatly diminished over time."
The document that details the cuts – officially known as the Comprehensive Spending Review 2015 – The Four-Year Plan – may be a blueprint that will see the force continue to reduce crime across the region simply with fewer officers delivering the same level of service, but for less money.
However, if the chief harbingers of doom, namely opposition politicians and senior officers, are correct, then we may all be in for a rough few years.
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