POLICE representatives yesterday warned that multi-million pound budget cuts are putting the public of West Yorkshire at risk.

West Yorkshire Police Federation chairman Nick Smart met MPs at Parliament as part of the start of its #CutsHaveConsequences public awareness campaign.

Mr Smart told the politicians - including Shadow Police Minister Jack Dromey and Home Affairs Committee member Julian Huppert - that the force had lost almost 1,000 officers over the past five years and needed "boots on the ground if we want to fight crime and keep the public safe.”

There are fears that more officers will be axed as the force stands to lose £163 million in Government funding cuts.

Mr Smart told the MPs: “West Yorkshire Police is not alone as we stare ahead and wince at what the immediate future holds for us and the service we will be able to offer the public. Make no mistake, things will not remain the same.”

The campaign will run for two months, across social media, and with adverts and public events, and there will be regular updates on the Federation’s Twitter account @WestYorksPolFed.

He said that one in five bobbies on the beat had gone since 2010.

Mr Smart added: “Our members are worried about the level of service they can provide to the public.

“Something has to give. You do not get more or even the same with less. You only get less.

“For the public of West Yorkshire this means a poorer service with fewer front line police officers."

West Yorkshire's Temporary Chief Constable Dee Collins said: "We are facing the most significant financial challenge in our history and as a consequence, having to make incredibly difficult decisions, but I want to assure people in West Yorkshire that protecting the public remains our number one priority and our focus.

"Crime has reduced significantly in recent years, with 10,000 fewer victims in the year to September 2014, and our neighbourhoods are much safer as a result. However, the reality is that we have 1,700 fewer officers and staff than in 2010 and still need to find £37m of savings.

"I welcome the Police Federation speaking so openly about the issue and want to reassure them that we understand their concerns and fears and will work with their members.

"We have some difficult years ahead, but I am committed to ensuring we do our very best to meet the challenges."

West Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Mark Burns-Williamson, has echoed concerns raised by the Federation about how severe and sustained Government cuts are risking frontline policing.

He said: “Since being elected, working with council leaders, I have protected frontline policing over three years.

“But I have continually raised with the Home Secretary and others, including the budget briefing I recently provided for West Yorkshire MPs, that going forward the level of cuts we are experiencing here mean that protecting the frontline at the current level will become unsustainable."