Norfolk's top police officer says 2012 will be a challenging year for his officers as the cuts take hold amid a series of spectacles for the county and country.

Next summer, London stages the Olympic Games in what will be one of the biggest security operations this country has ever witnessed – with all police forces in the country on stand-by to help.

And while Norfolk is not staging any of the events, the Olympic torch will be coming through parts of the county, including Norwich, in July, as part of the 70-day-relay.

Phil Gormley, Norfolk's chief constable, said the Olympics represented the biggest public order challenge the police service has ever had, while the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, also next summer, would be 'fabulous for the county'.

He said: 'Next year, we look forward to the challenges of policing some of the greatest spectacles of 2012 – the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic Games – including the torch relay.

'Our officers will proudly provide support to some of the host venues and I share the excitement of being part of something which promises to be special.'

But 2012 is also a year which will see the most radical reform of policing for years, with police and crime commissioners due to replace police authorities in November.

Mr Gormley, who hailed the good job the police authority had done in Norfolk and would continue to do 'until the last day it has breath in its body', said: 'The next 12 months are not going to be boring. We've got the biggest change in policing governance, some would say ever, with the introduction of police and crime commissioner elections in November.

'The budget cuts will really start to make the pips squeak next year. We're moving from planning to implementation. That in itself will be a major challenge, but I'm confident we've got a plan and the people to make that happen.'