ESSEX Police has released a video explaining more about station closures, loss of staff and redundancies as it struggles to balance the books.

Essex Police needs to plan for the future and is expecting to be working with £100million less each year by 2020 than it had in 2010.

PCSO numbers are expected to be cut from 250 to 60. Front counter staff will be cut from 98 to 36, with the closure of police stations, subject to a public consultation.

The force has already lost more than 1,000 jobs since 2010 and it could lose 1,000 more by 2020.

On top of the more than 250 job losses announced at a press conference yesterday, many more are at risk.

Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh said the force had gone from about 3,600 police officers in 2010 to less than 3,000 now.

He feared 500 could more go by 2020, with support staff cuts also likely.

He said: “We have a responsibility to Essex to ensure there are enough officers available if there are riots or serious crimes.

We need enough to handle them.

“I would hope we would not go below 2,500.”

Mr Kavanagh admitted there would be fewer people trying to do more.

He said: “There will not be the same level of patrolling, there will not be the same level of visibility.

“We are going to have to shift from a ‘nice to have’, to a ‘need to have’ service.”

The force is also changing its priorities and will be responding directly to fewer crimes.

Mr Kavanagh said: “If your car is broken into we have to be honest with victims, especially If there is no opportunity to secure forensics or no witnesses.”

The force will increase its focus on the growing problems of child and sexual abuse.

Mr Kavanagh explained officers will be told to prioritise based on the level of threat, the risk to the victim, their vulnerability and based on what opportunities there are to successfully investigate the crime.

He insisted those at risk of real harm would come first, but admitted they can no longer deal with everything they once did.

Police and Crime Commissioner Nick Alston said: “We need a modern police force. I am sure in 2020 there will be a really professional police service in Essex, more professional than now.

“But we can only do the best we can with what we have.”

Residents in Essex pay about £150 for policing via council tax. The average UK resident pays about £180. and Mr Alston said: “I would like to increase it to the average. That would be the equivalent of 500 police officers.”