DORSET Police believe going it alone as a force amid Government restructuring plans cannot be ruled out at this stage.

A merger with neighbouring Hampshire instead of joining a regional force with other constabularies in the South West is also being explored.

In response to Home Secretary Charles Clarke's ongoing review to make forces more efficient, Dorset Police and the Dorset Police Authority is launching a consultation exercise to consider all options.

The Home Office says Dorset must consider two options and produce a business case by December 23.

The first is Devon and Cornwall police remaining as a single entity with Dorset, Avon and Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire merging into one.

The second option is all those areas combined into one large police force.

In addition, Dorset Police will look into the effectiveness of remaining as a force in its own right - and the possibility of merging with Hampshire.

Dorset Police Chief Constable Martin Baker said: "While the Government has indicated that any option crossing a government office regional boundary should not be progressed at this stage, Dorset Police and the Police Authority are of the firm view that there is a strong operational case for this option to remain open.

"Following receipt of the latest advice from the Home Office, I have chaired a project board meeting involving members of the Police Authority, the force project team, staff associations and UNISON.

"The board concluded that while the regional force approach may address some issues, our research to date indicates that other approaches to achieve a safer Dorset should not be eliminated at this stage.

"Our intention, therefore, is to analyse the regional approach in more detail but also to develop the options either to merge with Hampshire or to remain as a single force but to work closely with other forces to close the protective services gap."

Mr Baker added: "We must not take our eye off the ball. Nothing would be more tragic than to lose the ground Dorset Police has already gained, particularly in relation to the significant reductions in crime that has been achieved across the county in recent years."

Dorset Police Authority chairman, Michael Taylor, said: "It is essential for us to understand the views of local people, staff and stakeholders about what people want from their local policing services.We also want to know what concerns people have about changes to the police service so that we can take these into account.

"We are therefore organising surveys of staff and members of the public which will take place in the next few weeks."