FAREHAM'S top cop has said that relocating more than half of the police officers based at Bishop's Waltham police station will improve cover in the area.

Chief Insp Kerry Bedford defended plans to move ten officers, up to two sergeants and one inspector to Park Gate police station by November 3.

Worried residents say that emergency response times will be affected by the shake-up.

Winchester MP Mark Oaten is seeking a meeting with police chiefs. He said: "Over the last four years there have been concerns about the number of police available in the area.

"If this means generating better cover it could be positive, but I will be seeking reassurances from the police that it's not scaling down."

Chief Insp Bedford believes creating a larger pool of officers at Park Gate will provide more effective cover.

He said: "It won't affect response times to emergencies. Park Gate could actually be closer, depending on where the incident is, and we have other units that can be deployed."

Instead of reducing officers on the beat the relocation could see an increase, he believes, because it will free up 11 remaining officers at Bishop's Waltham from emergency work to focus on beat patrols.

Insp Shaun Moore will move from Bishop's Waltham to Park Gate to take charge of the new amalgamated area following the retirement of Insp Stephen Havis from Park Gate.

Chief Insp Bedford said: "The alarmists will say we are having a mass exodus and that is not true at all.

"To run 24 hours a day seven days a week policing cover of Bishops Waltham is not easy because we need a lot of officers to do that."

Currently many shifts at Bishop's Waltham have no sergeant supervising, briefing and debriefing officers due to a shortage. After the pooling of resources one will take charge of every shift.

A recent influx of probationary officers at Bishop's Waltham stand to benefit from moving to work with their more experienced colleagues at Park Gate.

Chief Insp Bedford added: "There will be some who want to be protective of what they have. But I have responsibility for making sure the whole area is policed properly and this is an effective way of improving cover in the area."

"I understand people have concerns but I want to reassure them that there will be cover for the Meon Valley area. I want to focus these officers on what is actually needed."