SENIOR police officers have created a new £34,000 role to raise extra cash for the North Yorkshire force's coffers.

They were this week expected to appoint their first "income generation manager", a role aimed at finding new sources of money.

The appointee will be responsible for raking in as much money as possible from grants, bids, special policing services and sponsorship.

The position, normally associated with charities and voluntary groups, is thought to be one of the first to be set up in a UK police force.

Officers want to bolster their annual £130 million fighting fund which comes from the Government, council tax payers and special grants and payments.

They are looking for someone "highly motivated and enthusiastic", with three years' experience of developing businesses.

North Yorkshire Police has been criticised in the past for not making enough of sponsorship opportunities, for example on vehicle liveries, leaflets and police posters.

York councillor Ruth Potter who joined the Police Authority two weeks ago, said she would watch the new appointment with interest.

She said: "If they can make more than they are being paid and generate extra income then it could be money well spent. Fund-raising is a particular skill and it makes sense to have a specialist."

A police spokesman said the new post, which will be based at police headquarters in Newby Wiske, was a "very good idea".

He said: "We are close to completing a recruitment process and we are expecting the successful candidate to be innovative, creative and basically, a livewire.

"It's going to be an evolving position. It's quite a broad canvass and this person has their own paints to raise extra cash for the force. We don't think there are any other forces doing this. It's an example of how North Yorkshire Police is trying to get the best possible value for residents."

An advertisement for the role, which has a salary of between £31,479 and £33,900, states that candidates will be expected to "maximise" internal and external income.

The person was expected to be a strategic thinker, with management skills and preferably a member of the Institute of Fundraising.

A spokeswoman for the institute said she was not aware of any other police forces with dedicated fundraisers.

She said: "Fundr aising is incredibly diverse. There are always new techniques and methods for raising money that people can tap into."

Updated: 10:08 Monday, July 04, 2005