A GROUP of police officers with more than 130 years service spoke of their bewilderment and shock at being forced to retire from their posts because of funding cuts.

Speaking at the West Midlands Police Federation’s offices in Birmingham, yesterday, Sgt Dave Hewitt, Pc Ian Rees, and Det Cons Tony Fisher and Tim Kennedy told of how they are being required to leave West Midlands Police under the so-called A19 rule. None of them wanted to retire after notching up 30 years of pensionable service.

Det Con Kennedy voiced fears that the cuts will leave vital posts vacant and damage frontline services.

The officer, who began his career as a 15-year-old police cadet, works in a role detecting unsolved crime but is retiring on Thursday.

The 52-year-old said: “I was quite happy to stay in the job and I don’t want to go.

“I have provided a service for 30 years and I want to continue to provide that service.”

Describing himself as “absolutely gutted” to be leaving his job, Mr Kennedy said many rank-and-file officers regarded claims that cuts would not affect frontline services as “absolute rubbish”.

“You can’t be taught the skills that I have. It’s something that you hone over a number of years,” he added.

Det Con Kennedy, who stressed that his desire to stay was not motivated by money, also criticised the lack of succession planning accompanying forced retirements.