ALARM bells are sounding within East Hampshire over fears that local policing is to be sacrificed in favour of the more urban areas of the county.

If approved, the proposal could see officers transferred from Alton, Petersfield and Whitehill to bolster forces in the more densely populated areas of Portsmouth and Southampton.

But, assures Inspector Tony Tipping, in Alton the loss will not affect operational response.

According to Deputy Divisional Commander Gareth Jones, the proposal, which is currently subject to staff consultation, would result in a loss of officers from across the Central Hampshire division.

The proposal has been brought forward as a result of a national Resource Allocation Formula, which consists of a number of different variables.

ÒThe formula concludes that some divisions are deemed to have high work loads, which means they should have more officers, and Central Hampshire is deemed to have less officers. It is a sophisticated way of measuring where people should be,Ó said Commander Jones .

He added: ÒI would hope we would be reaching a final decision in two or three weeks. Once a decision is made the nuts and bolts, the mechanics of how it works, will be decided.Ó

To comply with the formula it is understood that a total of 10 officers could be ÔlostÕ from stations within the division, three from Alton, three from Whitehill and two from Petersfield where one officer has already left and will not be replaced.

Alton currently has a force of 35 comprising an inspector, four custody sergeants, five sergeants, 16 police officers, four probationers and five rural beat officers.

According to Inspector Tipping, should the decision be taken to reallocate officers, the loss would not happen overnight but gradually through natural wastage.

While disappointed by any staff cut, the inspector believes that it will not affect AltonÕs day-to-day operational capability but that it could interfere with public expectation, making non-urgent parts of the service more difficult to achieve.

ÒIt will just make things harder to organise and do - we will just have to get cleverer and work harder,Ó he said.

In the past Tony Tipping believes Altonians have benefited from a very high standard of policing - a standard which, despite the impending cuts, he and his team seem determined to maintain.

ÒPeople expect a lot from us here,Ó he told The Herald.

Under a policy of Òvisible policingÓ, the town is already benefiting from the return of a regular beat officer and the aim is to increase foot patrols still further.

But this plan could be put on hold in a bid to assist urban forces which, says Inspector Tipping, are struggling to meet day-to-day calls.

ÒThey really do have problems meeting operational demand which we in Alton do not,Ó he said.