ALL South Wales Police officers with 30 years service or more are being told this week they are being axed.
At the same time Swansea's police call-handling centre is set to close, with staff losing their jobs.
Long-serving bobbies from the rank of constable up to senior officer are being forced out in a bid to save money.
The Post understands seven officers in the Western division — covering Swansea and Neath Port Talbot — are being given their marching orders this week, and will be leaving the force by June this year. Another 11 will follow over the coming months.
Meanwhile South Wales Police is also centralising all its call-handling in its Bridgend headquarters and making staff redundant at centres in Swansea, Pontypridd and Cardiff.
The changes are designed to help plug the �47 million blackhole in its funding over the next four years caused by Westminster slashing police budgets.
Police officers cannot be sacked because they are officially "servants of the Crown" rather than employees — however forces can axe officers who have served more than 30 years using a power in the police pension regulations called A19.
Meanwhile the force has begun a 90-day consultation period with staff and unions over redundancies amongst call-handlers at its Swansea centre, though it is not yet clear how many jobs are at risk.
South Wales Police chief constable Peter Vaughan said that with personnel costs accounting for some 80 per cent of everything it spends, a cut in numbers was inevitable.
He said: "This reduction in officer posts via the implementation of A19 will enable us to make additional and vital savings and to continue to focus our efforts on front-line policing in these difficult times.
"This consolidation of our call management centres means there will be a number of job losses over the next 18 months.
"Where possible, these losses will be met by not filling vacancies and by a voluntary early retirement scheme.
He added: "The stark reality is the force must achieve �19 million of savings between now and the end of March next year."
Forces around the country have begun the A19 powers but they have proved controversial because they inevitably mean getting rid of experienced officers — officers can apply for a year's extension, which may be granted if they have specialist skills, but for most it will be a short period of notice followed by the axe.
If South Wales Police decides to continue with forced retirements next year, the Post understands that the head of the Western division, chief superintendent Mark Mathias, will be among those required to hand in his badge.
The centralisation of call-handling services is the first tangible result of a major internal review — called Project Reform — into how the force operates.
The chief constable said the changes would make call-handling "more efficient and effective", and the force has insisted the introduction of a "one-stop shop" for calls will not have an impact on its 999 service.
jason.evans@swwmedia.co.uk
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