LANCASHIRE police chiefs have unveiled their strategy to maintain standards while saving £42million over the next four years.

The force has drawn up its four-year plan in the face of budget cuts from the Government which unions fear could affect the quality of policing.

In the document, released jointly with Lancashire Police Authority, bosses promise to reduce costs while protecting the frontline.

Among the changes set to be implemented are a crackdown on overtime, working with other forces to make it cheaper to buy in equipment and services, and axing some back-office roles.

Already Lancashire has agreed to share just four helicopters with Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Cumbria to save cash.

The force has highlighted the core areas bosses hope to target, including knife crime, protecting the vulnerable, organised crime and road safety.

Police chiefs have also promised improvement on tackling counter-terrorism, an area which has attracted criticism in recent years.

Chief Constable Steve Finnigan said: “One thing we are absolutely clear about is that we will not shy away from difficult decisions or hide behind the cuts to reduce our commitment to achieving outstanding performance and excellence in quality of service.”

He added: “Our ambition endures to consistently be the best police force in the country.”

John O’Reilly, of the Lancashire Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, has said the cuts imposed on police will ‘devastate’ the force.

Lancashire police has been consistently rated one of the best in the country and has driven down crime figures in almost every category in recent years.