The “most difficult financial year for forces in living memory” is looming as funding cuts continue to lead to the loss of officers, policing groups have warned.

Responding to figures that there were than 6,000 fewer officers in September 2010 compared with the previous year CC Peter Fahy, the ACPO Lead on Workforce Development, said the numbers reflected the reality of the financial situation.

The statistics, released by the Home Office, highlighted that there were 136,261 police officers – or full-time equivalent – in England and Wales as of September 30, 2011

While admitting that there was some cause for optimism with forces beginning to recruit again, CC Fahy warned this would not compensate for losses caused by the funding cuts – and that the difficult times would continue.

The Chief Constable said: “The Police Service is realistic about the current economic climate but will need to seek new ways of working and new approaches to reducing demand and cost as this loss of experienced staff continues.

“We will shortly enter the most difficult financial year for policing in living memory but forces have the plans to cope with what will be a most challenging time."

CC Fahy said that chief officers had been faced with tough choices as they managed change and redundancy programmes. He accepted that workforce morale had been hit by the pay freeze and increase in pension contributions.

He added: “The effectiveness of policing cannot be measured by the number of officers alone but by reductions in crime and increases in public confidence.”

Elsewhere Paul McKeever, Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, described the “dramatic” decline in officers as being “the tip of the iceberg”.

He added: “We will see even fewer police officers available as we embark on policing the biggest security event this country has ever seen, the Olympic Games.

“It is deeply disappointing that the Government’s decision to cut the police budget was taken purely for fiscal reasons, without regard for the impact on public safety.”