article_snippet: Police chiefs warned the fall in police visibility would get worse if threatened major budget cuts are pushed through after the general election.
article_snippet: The most damning finding was the dwindling number of police officers or police community support officers (PCSOs) seen on foot patrols since the Coalition came to power.
article_snippet: The figures coincide with a fall in the number of police officers and PCSOs from 161,000 to around 140,000 since ministers began their austerity drive.
article_snippet: There has been a reduction of 20 per cent since 2011 in the amount spent by the Home Office on the police.
article_snippet: Constabularies are also bracing Constabularies for further cuts amounting to hundreds of millions of pounds after the election.
article_snippet: David Green, criminologist and founder of think-tank Civitas, said: ‘Home Secretary Theresa May has said police time is being used more efficiently and there is less waste but this shows police time have cut so far that this is starting to reduce police visibility.
article_snippet: There has been a reduction of 20 per cent since 2011 in the amount spent by the Home Office on the police - and chiefs warn foot patrols will decrease more if further cuts are made .
article_snippet: Quite clearly, cuts have consequences and the government cuts have severely damaged the service
highlights_snippet: Police chiefs warned Office for National Statistics will get worse if major budget cuts pushed through .
  