Police chiefs will meet in September to consider merging forces together to help cut costs.
Cuts of up to 25 per cent of the central police grant over the next four years could force Hampshire Constabulary to merge services with the Thames Valley Police.
Once the full details of the cuts are outlined in the Goverment's Comprehensive Spending Review in October, the Chief Constables and chairs of both police authorities will meet to consider a merger.
Hampshire Police Chief Constable, Alex Marshall, said: “All police forces are very aware of the current financial situation in the country and the steps the government will be taking to reduce the deficit.
“Hampshire Constabulary has been looking carefully at how the force would cope with the inevitable cuts from the central police grant over the next four years and are doing our very best to be prepared.”
Hampshire Police have already agreed to share IT and forensic services with the Thames Valley, which covers Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, providing savings of up to £5 million a year.
The talks would consider the possibility of merging more aspects of the force, such as firearms, the dog section and the road policing units.
Chief Constable Marshall said: “By undertaking this sort of work, we are trying to make sure that we cut our budget, but not our service.
“Our priority has to be in protecting the communities of the two counties, catching criminals, and ensuring we have a visible and active presence in every neighbourhood.
“Although it won’t be easy and it is a difficult time for staff, we are confident that we can achieve this through finding efficiencies in our structure and practices, and make the very best use of the resources available to us.”
Hampshire police agreed in July to share two police helicopters with Sussex and Surrey rather than each flying their own, saving £8 million over five years.
Previous plans to merge police forces across the country in 2006 was scrapped due an outcry over the costs required.
