DORSET Police has said that “no decisions have been made” on whether its digital forensics section will be transferred to a neighbouring force.

The force is currently leading a collaboration programme to see how Dorset, along with Avon and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire can save money by providing a region-wide forensic science service.

The Echo understands this could see Dorset’s digital forensics section moved to Bristol, with possible job losses.

But when asked about this, Dorset Police would only say: “The regional forensic services collaboration programme is continuing to look at digital forensics, which is phase 2 of the programme.

“This work is progressing and no decisions have been made at this time. It is anticipated that a full business case will be put before the chief constables and PCCs in March 2014 and more information may be known at this point.”

The five forces currently spend £10.8million on providing fingerprint bureaux, chemical enhancement laboratoris and forensic submission units. Developing a new streamlined forensics service would save an inital £1.9m. Savings could be increased to £6.6m by 2018-19, as more services are merged.