Norfolk and Suffolk police are set to share a helicopter and appoint a joint assistant chief constable as part of their bid to cut costs by merging departments.

The latest moves come after the forces announced that all major backroom departments would be merged within four years in a bid to save at least �9.8m. Although the forces deny a full-blown merger is on the cards, such a move is regarded as increasingly likely.

Norfolk police's air support contract, which is operated by a private company with the help of a team of four officers, is set to come to an end.

Police forces nationwide are waiting for a new National Police Air Service to be set up but in the meantime the two forces will share the helicopter owned by Suffolk police and operated out of Wattisham airfield north of Ipswich.

Norfolk police currently pays �645,000 per year for use of the helicopter and this will fall to �400,000 under the new arrangement. However, the helicopter will be limited to flying for 220 hours over Norfolk - last year the helicopter was used for 275 hours.

Assistant chief constable Charlie Hall, who leads collaboration between Norfolk and Suffolk, said: 'We are confident that by deploying the helicopter in a more efficient manner, we can reduce the number of flying hours without a negative impact on our service.'

The two forces are also set to appoint a joint assistant constable in charge of the protective services department.

Many key areas of protective services, including major investigations, economic crime, special branch and dog units, are already merged and this latest step would firm up that arrangement and would save �157,000 on 12-month trial basis.

Norfolk police currently has an assistant chief constable vacancy following the promotion of Simon Bailey to deputy chief and this vacancy would become the combined role.

Norfolk chiefs are expected to announce their vision for the future of policing in the county within 12 weeks. The force has been forced to review all areas as a result of a shortfall �25m four-year funding gap.

The merger of civilian departments will lead to widescale job losses, although precise numbers have not yet been confirmed.

Norfolk police has already said it expects to shed 230 civilian roles and a similar number is likely to go in Suffolk.

Suffolk police has so far resisted Norfolk's approaches to merge forces. But Stephen Bett, chairman of Norfolk Police Authority, has said that the partnership could reach a critical mass over the next four years at which the forces would form a 'federation' overseen by a single chief constable.

ben.kendall@archant.co.uk