under-fire Cleveland Police are now at the centre of a 'jobs for the boys' row - with their own staff.

The Cleveland Police branch of public service union, Unison, is appealing to Cleveland Police Authority, concerned at the number of officers retiring from the force - only to be re-employed as civilian consultants days later.

Branch secretary Lynda Turnbull said: "People are coming out (retiring) one day, a Friday, and are back on a Monday, under the umbrella of a consultancy basis.

"Where it is a short-term emergency measure we have no problem - we understand that. What we do not understand is that some officers are coming back in and their contracts are getting extended and extended.

"If the job is advertised in the correct manner, and a person gets a job correctly at the end of the day, there is no problem, but the force must be seen to be going through the correct process.

Now Unison has sent a letter to each member of the police authority reminding them that there is a written protocol, which, "in some cases, is not being adhered to''.

Cleveland Chief Constable Barry Shaw said yesterday: "In very simple terms, police officers are not being given preferential treatment and no protocol is being breached.

"Police officers who we are re-employing are doing work which would be done by police officers, but it is more cost effective to employ someone on a short-term contract than taking someone away from active police work.

"We are not doing this as frequently as other forces do."

Mrs Turnbull said: "What we will do is monitor the situation and see what happens.''

She claimed if there was no improvement in the situation, the branch would have to call on its regional office for advice