ARMED police are being called out to late-night car crashes due to the decline in the number of dedicated traffic officers in Dorset.

Firearms officers say their role has become similar to a 'sticking plaster' as they are now tasked to so many police jobs - including collisions which take place at night.

However, top officers say the primary role of a uniformed firearms officer is unchanged.

Chief Inspector Kara Sherwood, of the Dorset, Devon and Cornwall Alliance Operations Department, said: “While the tactics deployed and the training given to our firearms officers has been amended to meet the dynamic needs of policing, the role of armed police officers in Dorset, Devon and Cornwall has not significantly altered.

“Although the primary role of a uniformed firearms officer is to respond to spontaneous firearms incidents and other incidents that present a high level of threat to our communities, they still retain their core skill as a police officer.

“This means that they can and will assist colleagues from across other departments as and when required. This might be supporting the road policing department, carrying out arrest enquiries alongside neighbourhood policing teams or other non-firearms related incidents.

“When deployed to another incident, they do maintain their integrity as an armed response unit and are in possession of their firearms so they can be re-deployed if the need arises.”

As reported in the Daily Echo this week, the number of officers committed to tackling offences on the road has fallen by nearly a third in eight years.

In 2009 there were two inspectors, six sergeants and 53 constables assigned to road policing duties.

This year there is one inspector, seven sergeants and 35 constables.

The figures reflect the national picture, where all but five of the 45 territorial forces have reported a fall in the number of traffic officers.

A Freedom of Information request revealed cuts have accelerated in the past five years with numbers falling 24 per cent since 2012.

A spokesman for Dorset Police said the force now shares resources with Devon and Cornwall Police through its Strategic Alliance and can call on support from there when necessary.