Due to mounting financial pressure, police may only be able to provide "the most basic services", Dorset's chief constable has said.

Chief Constable, James Vaughan said continuing cuts to the police budget and subsequent reduction in officer numbers meant providing a good policing service in the county was becoming "an increasing challenge".

"I am extremely concerned that the stark reality of our current financial outlook means that we may no longer be able to provide anything but the most basic services to the most vulnerable sectors of our community," Mr Vaughan said.

The comments come after Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Martyn Underhill gave a financial presentation at the Police and Crime Panel this morning.

Mr Vaughan said since the beginning of government's austerity programme, Dorset Police's budget had been cut by £25 million and as a direct result had seen the loss of 500 officers and staff.

"This rate of decline simply cannot continue without having a significant impact on our services," he said.

He added, apart from a small one-off amount of funding to support counter terrorism policing, the Chancellor’s budget had not offered any additional funds to police forces.

Combined with potential changes to employer pension contributions, and inflation, Mr Vaughan said this will remove more than £4 million a year from the force's budget in coming years.

Mr Vaughan said the demand for policing in Dorset was rising at an "alarming rate" with crime and incidents increasing by nearly 10 per cent over the last year.

"Without an investment in resources that allow us to intervene early and prevent crime and anti-social behaviour, I can only see that rise continuing," Mr Vaughan said. “The dynamics of crime over recent years have shifted markedly and we are now experiencing higher levels of arguably the most harmful crime such as sexual assaults, domestic assaults, child sexual exploitation, modern slavery and cybercrime.

"Not only are these crimes a high threat, they also require more specialised and time-consuming investigations in order to protect and safeguard victims, particularly those who are vulnerable.

Mr Vaughan said these added pressures were taking their toll officers and staff who were working hard to deliver services in an "increasingly difficult landscape".

"Their frustrations at being asked to deliver so much more with so much less are clear and the strain is beginning to show," he said. “My predecessor and I have sought to save money by collaborating with partners such as Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Devon and Cornwall Police, but there are limited further efficiencies that can be made in those areas.

“Dorset Police is a good force, consistently judged to be efficient and effective by our independent inspectorate HMICFRS. As Chief Constable my responsibility is to serve the people of Dorset and to continue to provide all of our communities with a good policing service. I will continue to work with the PCC to do so, but it is becoming an increasing challenge.”