Frontline policing

A large number of police jobs fall under the definition of frontline, a report has said.

The HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) report defined the frontline as those police officers who are "in everyday contact with the public and who directly intervene to keep people safe and enforce the law".

This comprised 68% of all officers, but only 61% were deemed to be visible to the public.

The report puts pressure on the government, which has maintained that frontline policing will not be affected by the cuts.

The police force's budget will decrease by 20% over the next four years.