HUMBERSIDE'S Police and Crime Commissioner said he will not be "pinned down" on police numbers in the future during a visit around the area.
Matthew Grove highlighted Waltham and Immingham as great examples of "neighbourhood policing at its best" when he took a trip to both areas.
In Immingham, he told the Telegraph that people have seen an improvement over two years and "want current policing levels protecting – a message I'm hearing from all corners".
These concerns come after Mr Grove announced that the force will have to save £25 to £30 million before 2018, earlier this month – on top of £31.9 million savings that need to be made between 2011 and 2015.
However, Mr Grove believes that guaranteeing officer numbers is not the way forward.
He said: "People keep trying to pin me down on the number of bobbies on the beat but I won't be drawn into that commitment just to make a cheap political point.
"If you guarantee those numbers, you end up cutting support staff and transferring administrative functions to much more expensive police officers – who will have less time to spend in communities.
"Yes, we face certain financial pressures but as I have always said, it is not about the total head count but what you have them doing that really makes a difference."
Mr Grove was impressed with Waltham because of how closely their parish council work with the neighbourhood policing team.
He also praised the fact that when he walked round Kennedy Way shopping centre and Oasis Academy, in Immingham, almost everyone knew PCSO Robert Dove by his first name.
PCSO Dove said: "We have been asking people to put forward their questions and concerns and the reaction has been really positive.
"It's good because the more people we get involved, the more help we have with catching the people who continually drag this area down."
Mr Grove added: "I'm here to represent people and hold the police force to account, but to do that I have to meet them on the ground level, which is why I visit a different area every week.
"I think it's important to engage with the community because we need their help to catch the criminals and, more importantly, to prevent crime, rather than react."
Councillor Dave Bolton (Lab, Immingham) joined Mr Grove and believes that things have improved in Immingham over two years.
He said: "Police face budget constraint like the council and everybody else in these times of austerity but I believe Mr Grove that policing can still be improved – I have to believe him.
"We've talked before about the community working together and we are all on the same wavelength but days like today are important so Mr Grove can find out what local people really think."
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