The number of police officers in Gwent has fallen by 31 in one year, new figures reveal.
Gwent Police, as of September 2011, has 1,477 officers, compared to 1,508 in September 2010.
Caerphilly County Borough MPs Wayne David and Chris Evans have both criticised the fall.
Mr David, Labour MP for Caerphilly described the fall in numbers as an “absolute disgrace” on Twitter.
Labour colleague Mr Evans, who represents Islywn and who is a member of the Justice Select Committee, said: “Once again this Government has chosen to cut costs rather than crime. How can someone feel safe in their home when police numbers are at their lowest in a decade?
“Our communities are being let down by this reduction in police numbers and I am deeply concerned with the impact this will have on anti-social behaviour and crime in Islwyn.”
Across the four Welsh forces, numbers fell by 232 to a total of 7,117. Across the UK as a whole, numbers fell by 6,000 to its lowest figure in a decade.
Responding to the figures, Paul McKeever, Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: “Regrettably, the dramatic decline in police officer numbers comes as no surprise to us as the service contends with a minimum 20% cut to budgets.
“How can we possibly provide the same level of service to the public if we are losing thousands of officers? Today’s announcement is just the tip of the iceberg, as we will see even fewer police officers available as we embark on policing the biggest security event this country has ever seen, the Olympic Games.
“It is deeply disappointing that the Coalition Government’s decision to cut the police budget was taken purely for fiscal reasons, without any regard for the impact on public safety.”
Policing Minister Nick Herbert said: “The strength and quality of frontline policing cannot, and should not, be measured simply in terms of officer numbers. What matters is not the total number of officers employed, but how officers are deployed.
“The best forces had twice the visibility and availability of those at the bottom of the table. So spending isn’t the sole issue.”