JOB cuts will be made at a cash-strapped North-East police force but bosses have promised not to reduce the number of frontline officers.

Faced with the prospect of having to make nearly £4.5m in savings in next year's budget, Cleveland Police are carrying out an overhaul of their operations to identify further cutbacks.

Cleveland Police Authority vice-chairman Councillor Dave McLuckie said that although no definite decision had been made about the level of cuts, jobs would go.

He told a meeting of the authority: "We cannot avoid pain. There are some extremely difficult decisions to be made.

"It is not going to be easy, there are going to be casualties in jobs.

"They will be the last resort, but I don't think we can avoid them.

"There are no sacred cows, but we are committed to keeping the same number of front-line officers."

The force is still suffering from having to make £7.3m of budget cuts this year.

Further savings of £4.5m are required to avoid an increase in council tax.

Coun McLuckie said: "I don't believe this force should spend money we cannot afford.

"If we cannot afford it, we don't do it.

"There are some tough times ahead."

The tight budget constraints would impact on the plans for growth, said authority member Alf Illingworth.

He said: "This crisis results in the authority having to cut back on expenditure. Growth is not an option.

"If we are going to find this sort of saving then the pain is going to be felt in police numbers and the support staff."

Sergeant Chris Pendlington, of Cleveland Police Federation, said after Thursday's meeting: "People aren't being left in the dark, but it is unsettling.

"We are being fully consulted and kept up-to-date but nothing has been cast in concrete yet and we won't find out anything for certain until the New Year.

"The support staff will have some concern but they are still doing their jobs to the best of their ability and giving the force 100 per cent."