Fifteen of Surrey’s most senior cops have been forced out prompting concerns policemen with vital crime fighting know-how are being cut off in their prime.

Surrey Police has forcibly retired the officers, ranked from inspector to chief superintendent, after 30 years’ service in a bid to save money since the start of 2011.

As a result the police claim to have saved more than £900,000 based on the ‘budgeted salary figure’ of each rank, according to figures released under the Freedom of Information Act.

But an inspector forced to retire last summer and the Surrey Police Federation have warned that forced retirements have drained the force of crucial skills ranging from fighting terrorism to solving murders.

The retired inspector, 51, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "It’s like closing down a library or taking gigabytes out of a mainframe computer.

"You have people who have lived and breathed their particular specialism, such as counter-terrorism or murder investigations, being pushed out the door."

Police officers cannot be made redundant but Surrey Police have used section A19 of pension regulations, which permits compulsory retirement for the ‘efficiency of the force’.

The former inspector, who is now self-employed, does financial consultancy work and uses negotiation skills gained in the force to manage builders working on renovation projects.

When he received a letter addressed ‘dear colleague’ notifying him of his forced retirement, he said: "I felt let down a little bit by the organisation.

"You think ‘I’m in my prime now, I’ve got all this experience and they are pushing me out the door.'

"I think you build up a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience that’s brushed under the carpet because someone somewhere wants to make efficiency savings."

During his time as a detective inspector he worked in a wide range of areas including the organised crime world and intelligence-led policing.

He said he would have probably left the force within four years anyway and the force had underestimated the reductions that could be made through ‘natural wastage’.

He said: "I personally think it was a mistake. The people who made these sorts of decisions were the number crunchers in the organisation who didn’t fully understand the police organisational side."

In 2010 Surrey Police received approval to use section A19 for the first time and it was reported that about 35 senior policemen would be forced to retire over four years.

But figures released by the police this month showed there had been only two forced retirements this year, eight in 2012 and five in 2011.

Mike Dodds, chairman of Surrey Police Federation, said: "Clearly there is a need to cut costs but cutting off people in their prime, from a personal point of view, is very disappointing.

"From a practical point of view, these officers had important skills lost to the force and people of Surrey. What it has meant is there are 15 less people to share the work of these senior managers."

At the same time Mr Dodds said there had been an influx of police constables, adding: "There are more people to be managed but less people to manage them."

In November 2010 then-Chief Constable Mark Rowley told the BBC that fewer than expected officers were retiring and the police force had to cut costs.

He said: "We have had to take this decision to effectively force them out. It’s not done with any relish be these are loyal, long-serving, hard-working officers.

"But if I cut down the amount of money I spend on senior people, if I can run the force that way, then I can keep recruiting and keep on maintaining and perhaps increasing the frontline."

In other parts of the country retired police officers have taken five police forces to an employment tribunal accused of age discrimination over forced retirement.

Earlier this year cases were brought on behalf of more than 250 officers.

Surrey Police has forcibly retired a chief superintendent, two superintendents, three detective chief inspectors, four detective inspectors and five inspectors since 2011.

The Police Federation said there are currently 16 detective chief inspectors and chief inspectors and 85 detective inspectors and inspectors in Surrey Police.

Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Jeff Harris said: "The reality is that we are in an extremely difficult financial position and difficult decisions are being made across the organisation.

"The decision to continue with the use of Regulation A19, which began several years ago, is an operational one for the Chief Constable.

"We support her in that decision, and we will continue to support her in any way we can as she seeks to deliver the best possible services to the public at such a challenging time for policing and public services."

During a briefing at Mole Valley Council in May, Police and Crime Commissioner Kevin Hurley said the former chief constable had cut back on some senior police officers and moved them up to police headquarters.

"Which I must say may not necessarily be the best model because we are almost unique as a police force in having all our police officers that sit above the rank of inspector up at headquarters," Mr Hurley said.

"This current chief constable is actually looking at whether or not we need some of the police officers put back in major police station hubs."

He said large police stations, such as Reigate and Guildford, had about 11 inspectors controlling 500 to 600 police officers and a couple of hundred civilian staff.

He said: "You need someone to pull them to a collective vision."

A spokesman for Surrey Police said: "Surrey Police is continuing to make difficult decisions to balance the need for experienced officers within the organisation with the ability to increase front line numbers to keep the public safe.

"The force is using Regulation A19 but in a very targeted way to reduce senior ranks to help with the investment in more frontline constables.

"In total 15 senior officers have retired under Regulation A19 since March 2010 and more than 120 front line officers have been recruited in constable and sergeant ranks to bolster Surrey Police’s front line services.

"In addition to delivering savings, the use of A19 is also seen as essential to workforce reform by helping to create the vacancies necessary to bring on talent and instil the required behaviours necessary to support a new way of working.

"The use of A19 has been approved for three years from December 2010 and the position is reviewed annually."