The Chief Constable of Dyfed Powys Police has become the latest ACPO officer to warn that a failure to raise the council precept will have serious ramifications for the Force.

Ian Arundale said that he would have to consider scrapping the helicopter and making staff redundant among the options to make the savings needed to balance the books.

In addition he asserted that he may have to invoke Regulation A-19 to force the retirement of his most experienced officers and shut more police stations. Support for cold case reviews would also have to be reduced, he asserted.

CC Arundale was speaking soon after his opposite number in Gloucestershire warned that his Force needed a precept rise to maintain its effectiveness.

Tony Melville warned that Gloucestershire Constabulary was facing “the perfect storm” and that the situation was unprecedented in his 34 years of experience. A decision on the move is expected from the Police Authority on February 9.

CC Arundale made his concerns clear as he spoke to the Leaders and Chief Executives of Pembrokeshire, Powys and Ceredigion County Councils.

Dyfed Powys Police Authority is due to meet on February 17, when members will ultimately make a decision on how much precept to grant the Force.

CC Arundale said a minimum precept rise of 5 per cent is needed to limit Government cuts to 20 per cent – and mitigate the effect of cuts already made.

The Chief Constable emphasised: “I welcome the sympathetic response from all four County Councils to my request for a minimum 5 per cent precept rise.

“However, nobody should be under any illusions, we still have to cut costs significantly but at least a 5 per cent increase would mean our situation will not get any worse.

“Local Authorities understand that the financial crisis is hitting the Force hard yet policing and fighting crime remains a top priority for the public,” he added. “Research carried out for the Force by MORI shows that 78 per cent of the people surveyed were prepared to pay 15p extra per week for the police.”

CC Arundale emphasised that he remained “genuinely concerned” about maintaining his Force’s ability to protect communities in the wake of reductions.

He added: “The funding crisis is a genuine watershed moment for policing in mid and west Wales and that is why I am appealing to our politicians to award the Force a 5 per cent precept rise, so we can continue to safeguard communities.”