Camden Mayor Dana L. Redd announced Tuesday that she would begin dismantling the city's police department by the end of the month to make way for a new county-run force, putting a definitive timeline on a plan that has been under negotiation for nearly two years.

A state-required layoff plan is being drawn up, and Camden's roughly 270 officers could serve their last day on the job by the end of the year, putting city and county officials on a tight schedule to get the new force up and running. Less than half of existing officers would be allowed to join what is being called the Camden Metro Police Division, projected to number close to 400 officers.

There are still critical details to be worked out. The cost - and potential savings - remain unclear.

Camden County freeholders want a state guarantee that they will not be left on the hook for the force if the state cuts aid to the city. With its property tax base in decline, Camden relies on the state for more than $115 million a year or about 70 percent of its budget.

Negotiations with the governor's office continue, and so far no date has been set for the creation of the metro division, said county spokesman Dan Keashen.

Joe Cordero, a former top state police official and director of East Orange's police force who began consulting in July, said last week that he planned to overlap the winding-down of the existing force with the creation of the metro division.

Over the last few weeks, Cordero has been busy figuring out how to create a law enforcement body from scratch, simultaneously setting up the organizational structure while performing basics such as sorting out equipment and choosing a background check to screen officers.

Supporters of the plan have said the county force would start with the metro division, but so far suburban towns have balked at the possibility of joining the force.