PUBLIC confidence in Cleveland Police has reached an all time high.

Nearly 90 per cent of people say they are 'very' or 'fairly' confident, according to the latest set of local confidence survey results.

The survey was carried out by telephone between April and December 2010 by an independent market research company on 1,800 people across the Force area.

Chief Constable Sean Price said: "It's pleasing that people's confidence in the Force continues to be strong, and this is thanks to the professionalism and hard work of all my officers and staff.

"Putting People First is about listening to communities and working alongside them and other partners to resolve the issues that concern them.

"We have a strong performance nationally when it comes to confidence and it's positive that these local results back this up as they have been drawn from a larger number of people.

"However we aren't complacent and we realise that there is still work to do in helping communities feel safe and confident in the police. I am committed to protecting the service we deliver to our neighbourhoods, despite the significant financial challenges ahead."

The survey, which was carried out in partnership with Cleveland Police Authority, also found that 67.7 per cent of people think that the police in their local area are doing a 'good' or 'excellent' job.

Participants were asked a series of questions, covering a range of crime and policing issues in relation to living in the local area, accessibility, contact with the police, problems in the local area and public confidence.

The full results can be found at cleveland.police.uk, and the survey will continue to be used as a means of consulting with local communities throughout the coming year.