POLICE forces in England and Wales could face a combined budget shortfall of almost £721m, potentially putting public safety at risk, Unison has said.

The data, based on medium-term financial plans submitted by individual police forces to their local police and crime panels, reveals drastic cuts. 

The worst affected is the Metropolitan Police (£282m), followed by West Midlands (£34m) and Kent (£31m). Together the three forces will have a combined budget deficit of £347m by 2026. 

Forecasts aren’t set in stone, but police budgets look likely to be several hundred million pounds short of what’s needed, Unison says. 

As a result, tackling and preventing crimes such as anti-social behaviour, burglaries, violent assaults, organised crime and fraud could be compromised, says the union. 

Unison warns that cutting police staff jobs will also severely undermine the government’s pledge to put more police on the streets. 

This is because newly recruited officers will need to do the work once done by police staff, the union says. 

Unison general secretary Christina McAnea said: “Without more funding to plug these huge budget shortfalls, public confidence in the police will continue to fall. 

“With fewer police staff to investigate cases and smaller numbers of police and community support officers patrolling local neighbourhoods, there’s a risk that crime rates will climb.  

“Severe cuts to police budgets will leave many forces unable to protect communities or bring criminals to justice. 

“These figures are yet another warning sign that policing is in deep crisis.”