Print PageSouth Australian Premier Jay Weatherill has ruled out cuts to police numbers despite budget concerns from the state's police chief.
Mr Weatherill says police numbers are at record levels and will continue to grow and savings from the police budget will be made in other areas.
"We will look all sorts of ways in which we can make the relevant savings, but it's not going to be at the expense of police on the beat looking after public safety," the premier told reporters on Monday.
Mr Weatherill says South Australia currently has about 4500 police and that will continue to grow, hitting 4700 by 2016.
Police Commissioner Gary Burns told a parliamentary committee that the need to find $150 million in savings over the next four years could force a review of the police workforce.
"Our aim will always be to make sure that we're delivering the best front-line services we can and to move people into the front-line where we can," he said.
"The last thing we want to do is to reduce police numbers, but it's on the cards that we'll actually have to look at our workforce."
