Hampshire Police may have to loose a further 100 posts following the decision to freeze its law enforcement precept, the local branch of the Police Federation has asserted.

Chairman John Apter (pictured) maintained the Force was coming to a point there was no more “slack in the system” and further posts might be lost as a result.

He highlighted that Chief Constable Alex Marshall had already had to lose some 400 officers and 700 members of police staff to make required savings.

But the Chief had voiced concerns that a further 100 posts might now be lost.

Mr Apter said that the decision to freeze the precept represented “a kick in the teeth”.

The Chairman told PoliceOracle.com that the police authority meeting on February 14, where the decision over the precept was taken, had been finely balanced. He said it took four separate votes before a decision was reached.

Mr Apter recalled: One of the councillors changed their vote and so by a very small margin, but the rules are the rules, the freeze was implemented.”

The Authority will now receive a Government grant of £3 million, equivalent to a 3 per cent increase in its share of Council Tax, for 2012-13.

Hampshire Police is already working towards a saving of £50 million as part of Government cuts, but Mr Apter said the visible side of policing could now suffer.

Mr Apter said: “There is no more slack in the system and because of that the Chief Constable is saying the savings can only come from one place – reducing posts by 100.”