Members of the public may notice North Wales Police vehicles attending some Cheshire incidents, and vice versa.

Cheshire Constabulary and North Wales Police have taken the decision to reinforce their armed policing services by working together, forming a single Armed Policing Alliance.

The Alliance sees officers from both forces working as one to respond to incidents that require armed police attendance in Cheshire and North Wales.

By working together the forces can respond faster to incidents, because the nearest firearms officers from either force can be sent − cutting travel time.

As well as the Winsford and St Asaph sites, the Alliance will share a new base close to incident hotspot areas along our border. The new base is well located to allow easy access to the roads network, again cutting travel time.

When not attending firearms incidents, the officers will target travelling criminals using the roads network, and support general policing initiatives.

Head of Uniform Operations, Superintendent, Beverley Raistrick said: “For frontline policing this joint working is unique in the North West.

“Working together will give both forces a stronger and more resilient armed policing service, while making the savings necessary to meet austerity budget cuts.

“We will have fewer firearms officers overall, but new working practices mean there will be no reduction in the Armed Response Vehicle cover.”

Incidents that require armed officers are infrequent, and it is very rare for shots to be discharged. But the need to ensure officers with the right skills are available to respond if and when such events do occur remains.

Natural waste will make up the full reduction of 16 officers by 2016 − all from planned retirements.