COMPLAINTS against police for using excessive force, being rude and neglecting duties have risen by more than a quarter.

There were 107 complaints recorded against North Yorkshire Police between October 1 and December 1 last year, compared with only 84 during the same period in 2005 - an increase of more than 27 per cent.

There were 19 allegations of assault and excessive force, 37 allegations of incivility, and 35 allegations of neglect of duty - such as failing to properly investigate a crime - according to a report to be heard by North Yorkshire Police Authority next week.

Since last April there have been 11 complaints received per 100 officers or members of police staff.

But there were also 70 letters of appreciation, from members of the public commending staff for their work.

Of the 107 complaints, 69 - or 40 per cent - were in the central area which covers York and Selby. There were 52 in York and 17 in Selby.

There were 29 complaints in Hambleton - including six of "oppressive conduct" - and seven in Ryedale.

Among them were eight allegations of assault, 14 of incivility, and 15 of failures of duty.

During the same period a total of 199 separate allegations against police have been investigated. Eleven - six per cent - have been substantiated.

Ten of those were against one officer from the eastern area of the force, who has now been dismissed.

Les Coverdale, secretary of the North Yorkshire Police Federation, confirmed that an officer had been sacked following a disciplinary tribunal, but said he was unable to comment on individual cases.

A further 151 complaints were resolved at a local level and 21 were unsubstantiated. Five officers have received superintendent's written warnings during this period - one for failing to record and investigate an allegation of assault, one for "inappropriate conduct" towards a junior officer, one for "conduct which was likely to bring the reputation of North Yorkshire Police into disrepute", one for inappropriate use of the internet, and one for failing to act with integrity.

As of December 31, one officer was suspended from duty pending further investigation.

Of the complaints, 75 per cent have been resolved locally - the highest percentage of any force nationally.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission has attributed the rise in complaints to "training within forces which is likely to have increased the formal recording of complaints by frontline staff".

The report will be heard at a meeting of North Yorkshire Police Authority's complaints committee on Tuesday.


How our force shapes up...

So how does the number of complaints against North Yorkshire Police compare to other, similar forces?

Between April 1, 2006 and December 31, 2006 there were 336 complaints recorded.

That is an average of 11 complaints for every 100 of North Yorkshire's 2,929 police officers and staff.

Lincolnshire recorded 242 - which also works out at 11 per 100 officers.

Suffolk had the worst record with 280 complaints during the same period - or 13 per 100 of its 2,247 officers and staff.

Devon and Cornwall received 761 complaints - or 12 per 100 officers.

But police forces in Wiltshire and Warwickshire only received seven complaints per 100 officers, with 174 recorded in Wiltshire and 139 in Warwickshire.