THERE is much to be proud of and positive about the way police officers, staff and volunteers have squared up to the demanding Government budget cuts.

Our focus in Cambridgeshire has always been on keeping people safe and relentlessly targeting those who commit crime.

And throughout the last year of unprecedented change, which I often describe as being eye-wateringly difficult, the number of people who are victims of crime in Cambridgeshire continued to reduce and the number of people who are brought to justice for committing crime is increasing.

We knew we had to do more, with less. We are achieving that.

Since last Christmas we have reduced the amount spent on policing in the county by over �4 million. It is a sad but inevitable fact that many good, hard-working and public spirited people have lost their jobs in order to make this cut.

I take no pleasure in that and my thoughts are with all those who find themselves facing financial hardship, which is particularly difficult at this time of year.

Before I became chief constable in September 2010, I could never have imagined the changes I would be responsible for making and the cuts I would have to impose. Yet the sense of public duty that I and so many of my colleagues – whether police officers, police staff or volunteers - feel has helped to carry us through the last year.

That spirit brought the force and the county together in the wake of the summer disorder in London and elsewhere.

People returned from their holidays, worked round the clock and selflessly put the safety of people across Cambridgeshire first.

Thanks to their commitment and dedication, there was only one minor incident of disorder throughout that difficult August week.

I hope you will all join me in thanking all the men and women working throughout Christmas and New Year to keep us safe.

We are grateful to you and your families for your hard work on this, and every day of the year.