POLICE forces in the North-East have seen a rise in the number of complaints against their officers, it has been revealed.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission has published details of grievances recorded against Durham, Cleveland, Northumbria and North Yorkshire police forces during 2009-10.

Durham Constabulary saw the highest rise in the region with 207 complaints against officers compared to 159 the previous year.

The Northern Echo: IPCC complaints for 2009-10

North Yorkshire Police suffered a 27 per cent increase, with 496 complaints recorded.

Both forces saw the number of allegations within complaints increase.

Complaints against Cleveland Police officers rose by ten per cent, from 410 to 450 incidents recorded. However, it has recorded a fall in the number of allegations within complaints.

Northumbria Police recorded 578, only two more than the previous year and it achieved a decrease in the number of allegations.

The main claims across the four forces related to neglect or failure in duty and incivility.

Nationally, figures show 33,854 people complained in England and Wales - an eight per cent increase.

Nearly 50 per cent of the allegations were about officers neglecting their duties or being rude.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Winship, of Durham Constabulary, said: "Durham Constabulary is a high performing force, both in terms of crime reduction and detection, yet has the second lowest number of recorded complaints in the country."

Steve Read, head of professional standards at North Yorkshire Police, said: "We take pride in the fact that North Yorkshire Police have, by a significant margin, achieved the highest rate for local resolution of complaints of any force in England and Wales - 71 per cent with the next best force achieving a local resolution rate of 56 per cent."

Temporary Superintendent Chris Sharman, of Northumbria Police, said: "The public quite rightly expects Northumbria Police officers and staff to behave with the highest standards of professionalism.

"Where that behaviour falls short, we have an open and transparent complaints procedure through which people can tell us where we have gone wrong and we can hopefully resolve or investigate the matter."

Derek Bonnard, deputy Chief Constable of Cleveland Police, added: "We currently have one of the highest levels nationally in confidence in the service we deliver as well as confidence levels locally."

Independent Police Complaints Commission interim chairman Len Jackson, said: "The number of rude and late complaints highlights the standards expected of the police service and the need to improve how they interact with the public.

"However, while some aspects can be improved without cost, such as through better leadership, smaller police budgets will present a challenge around levels of service and public expectation.

"This will require forces to develop an open dialogue with the public."