MORE police officers will be on duty in Gloucestershire at peak times as a result of changes being introduced from tomorrow (Thursday).

But the changes will also see more "flexibility" which could mean officers and Police Community Support Officers taken out of the their areas if there is a greater need elsewhere.

Gloucestershire Police's superintendent for local policing, Richard Cooper, said: "While officers will have a key role assigned to a location there is going to be greater flexibility in terms of resource so we can meet where the most pressing need is.

"This does not signal the end of neighbourhood policing, far from it.

"What you will see is a change of emphasis and increased emphasis on tackling harm and vulnerability."

The county's 438 full-time officers – of which 61 are in the Forest – 124 PCSOs and 118 special constables will work the same shift patterns meaning "considerably enhanced" coverage in the late afternoon and evening when most calls are received.

That will also mean officers going to fewer public meetings such as parish councils.

On Fridays and Saturdays once the Forest's "night-time" economy has gone quieter during the early hours, officers could be sent to Gloucester to help there.

Officers will also be issued with smartphones enabling them to do 'paperwork' while out on duty in the community – although they will be issued with signs to tell people what they are doing.

Chief superintendent Gary Thompson, who has been leading the changes, said: "What we don't want is members of the public seeing officers sitting there in Tesco or Sainsburys on their mobile devices thinking they're playing Candy Crush – they won't be they will be doing essential work.

"We want them to be visible so people can come up to them.

"We don't get that at the moment because they are stuck in police stations using old technology behind desks.

"The shift patterns mean we've got double the number of officers on compared to what we have had in the past.

"We have got more of our neighbourhood officers on at times when demand peaks."

It is expected that once Forest officers and PCSOs have been briefed at Coleford they will spend the rest of the shift out on patrol.