A CIVILIAN Crime Investigation Officer, based at Launceston Police Station, has branded police proposals to cut these roles as a knee-jerk reaction to calls to save money.

Clare Danson has worked for the Force for around six years and has been in the post of crime investigator for the last two years.

The crime investigators are employed to take witness statements and do all the case preparation work needed after an arrest to make sure that a case can be prosecuted.

This work used to be done by uniformed police officers but, in a move to put more officers on the beat, the new civilian team was formed about two years ago.

For a full report, see this week's edition at the 'Post'.