NORTH Yorkshire Police is losing special constables twice as fast as it can recruit them, new figures have revealed.

Last year, the force managed to attract only 25 new volunteer officers - despite a government recruitment campaign.

At the same time, 60 specials opted to hand back their uniforms.

The slump continues a reverse in force numbers which began in 1998. In 1997, the year Labour came to power, 96 officers were recruited, while 40 quit.

Yet 12 months later, only 68 joined, with 72 departing. In 1999, 32 officers signed up as 114 quit. The same figures were repeated a year later.

Home Office statistics show the total number of specials is now down to only 186 - 151 fewer than September 1997.

Home Secretary David Blunkett is determined to halt the decline, which has seen numbers fall nationally from 19,163 in 1997 to 12,068 last year.

He is considering allowing forces to pay specials as part of a wider shake-up of police practices.

This could take the form of a new allowance - paid in return for officers signing up to an agreed "minimum commitment" to the job.

Over the last two years, the Home Office has advertised on local radio and in local newspapers in a bid to boost recruitment.

The adverts stressed that special constables had a vital role to play in the fight against crime by strengthening relations between police and local communities.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "We recognise that special constables are leaving because of other commitments, although some are leaving to become full-time police officers.

"We realise we need to get those numbers back up. That's why we are looking at the possibility of rewarding specials for their services."

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "Special constable numbers do fluctuate.

"It's less easy to recruit now than it was even five years ago.

"There's a much greater commitment needed in terms of time and training.

"The benefits of this for people in North Yorkshire is that we have some of the best trained and motivated specials in the country."

Updated: 09:29 Saturday, September 07, 2002