A POLICE officer has been arrested on suspicion of drink-driving during a road safety crackdown by his own force.

Police were called to Thirsk Road, Northallerton at 10.30pm on Tuesday, December 17, after a car collided with a parked car.

The driver, a man aged in his 30s from the Hambleton district area, was arrested.

A police spokeswoman said: “We can confirm the man is a serving North Yorkshire Police officer and he has been suspended from duty while the investigation is ongoing.

“Whilst it would not be appropriate to comment further about this particular case while enquiries continue, it emphasises that every person suspected of drink or drug-driving will be treated equally by North Yorkshire Police.”

One motorist, who saw the aftermath of the crash, said the stationary vehicle was badly damaged on its right-hand back corner, and appeared to have a snapped wheel axle.

“It must have been quite an impact, there was glass everywhere.”

The force has arrested 61 people on suspicion of drink-driving since the launch of its Christmas road safety campaign.

Up to 28 of the 61 people, including 13 in Hambleton and Richmondshire, 16 in York, 11 in Scarborough and Whitby, and ten in the Harrogate and Ripon area, arrested have been charged with drink or drug-driving or failure to provide a specimen, and face losing their driving licences.

As part of the crackdown, the force announced earlier this month that drivers suspected of taking illegal drugs would be given breathalyser-style tests.

The force is testing a machine which can detect tiny amounts of drugs such as cannabis, amphetamines, cocaine, heroin and other drugs from samples of saliva.