A POLICE federation chief says this year could be the “start of a great decade” for criminals as funding cuts begin to bite.

Sergeant Mark Botham, chairman of the Police Federation Joint Branch Board, in North Yorkshire, warned of an increase in crime and the potential for more assaults on officers.

North Yorkshire Police expects to shed 200 police officers and 350 police civilian support staff as it attempts to save up to £11m over the next two years.

Controversially, it also plans to use the so-called Regulation A19 of the Police Pensions Regulation Act, which requires officers up to the rank of chief superintendent to retire once they have achieved 30 years’ service.

Sgt Botham said analysis of Home Office figures and projected staff numbers from the force showed there would be a 21 per cent reduction in police officers between 2007 and 2014-15.

He pointed out that the North Yorkshire force had to police the largest county in England and Wales and said its population was increasing.

He said: “Is 2011 the start of a great new decade for criminals?

“I think crime will be higher and when you look at the number of police officers we are going to have – the last time we had that number – in 2001-2 – 50 per cent of operational police officers were getting assaulted in one year and that is not acceptable.”

Sgt Botham said staffing in CID was already far below the national average and said staffing in training had fallen by 25 per cent since 2006.

He said: “Any further reduction in police officer numbers must see an increased investment in training for them – especially given the skills gap the removal of experienced officers will leave.”

Chief Superintendant Iain Spittle, temporary head of human resources at North Yorkshire Police, said: “We are in unprecedented times as an organisation and there is no doubt this is going to be a challenge.

“But we will aim as far as is humanly possible to ensure that we will not reduce the levels of service that we deliver on our streets day-in and day-out.

“Assaults on police officers are unacceptable and we will be striving to make sure that these do not increase.”