There will be a “temporary” change to community policing after a review by the force.
The move will see 11 community officers redeployed to response teams from August until December as police try to fill vacancies locally.
Fears were raised over the future of community cops by several councillors in May.
Chief Superintendent Carol McGuire has now updated elected members in an email.
In it, she said: “I can confirm the review of our operational policing model within Dumfries and Galloway has been completed and as a result a total of 11 community police officers will redeploy to our response policing teams with effect from August 13, 2023.
“This will be for a temporary period only with the officers returning to their community role on December 11, 2023.
“This is not a decision that has been taken lightly but it is vital that our resources are deployed in such a way that we are able to respond to incidents of greatest threat, risk and harm.
“Please be assured that I will continue to work closely with my colleagues in recruitment and human resources in order to reduce the number of vacancies within the Division as soon as we possibly can.
“The reduced community policing teams will include our youth engagement officers, Dumfries town centre officers, antisocial behaviour officer and a PSYV co-ordinator.
“There will, however, be a reduction in the capacity of our community policing work which will be prioritised appropriately.
“I have attached a contact list which details the officer, supervisor and email address for each ward area both currently and from August 13, 2023.”
Dumfries and Galloway has seen the largest drop in police officers in the country. According to the latest figures, in the three years to March 2023, numbers have dropped by 16 per cent from 401 to 345.
North West Dumfries councillor Graham Bell said: “We were assured about the community officers and they’re trying to say it’s a temporary measure but I still have concerns that it might become a long-term measure.
“We’ve raised the issues of vacancies and special constables before. I think there are 12 or 13 across Dumfries and Galloway.
“I asked at the police and fire rescue sub-committee recently who the community officers are in the area.
“We were promised a list of them and after two weeks we’ve had nothing.
“It’s a concern though and a big issue. You need police officers with local knowledge of local areas. It’s like bringing in someone from Glasgow and telling them about Alloway Road or Castle Douglas Road, they won’t know.
