FOUR policemen arrested over allegations that they mishandled a burglary investigation have been suspended from duty.

The four, Chief Inspector Peter Turnbull, Detective Sergeant Jim Hartnett, Sergeant Paul Vigars and Detective Constable Mark Hall, were released on police bail last night after being questioned all day at York police station.

They were suspended from duty by North Yorkshire's Assistant Chief Constable Peter Walker, and inquiries are continuing.

Chief Inspector Turnbull won a bravery award in 1987 after rescuing a woman from the freezing River Ouse in York.

He and a colleague, who both won Royal Humane Society certificates, jumped without hesitation into the river and pulled the woman to shore, saving her life.

The arrests, made yesterday morning at homes in the Harrogate and Scarborough area by a squad from the Metropolitan Police, followed a secret 12-month investigation.

They were arrested after allegations were made to Nottinghamshire Chief Constable Colin Bailey during his investigation into Harrogate police station's sexual harassment scandal in the early 1990s, which led to a substantial compensation payment to Det Con Libby Ashurst.

Mr Walker says the allegations are not connected to the sexual harassment scandal but declined to elaborate on the allegations.

He said a serving officer had told the inquiry team that an allegation of impropriety had not been investigated, and he took the view that it had not.

Chief Constable David Kenworthy said that if the force was to maintain public confidence, it had to be seen keeping its house in order.

He said there had been big staff changes at Harrogate since the alleged incident, and a first-class service was being provided today by first class officers in the town.

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