AS the Assistant Chief Constable for the North Yorkshire Police with responsibility for discipline issues I must clarify a number of statements made in your articles of August 2, 2000 about the three officers whose suspensions were lifted this week.

Our press release clearly stated that: "Some internal disciplinary proceedings have yet to be finalised".

Your articles, however, state that the officers have been "cleared of any wrong-doing" that the "investigation was malicious" and that "the internal police investigation has found them innocent on all charges."

You will appreciate that I cannot comment on the details of a specific case which is still sub-judice.

However, it should be obvious that your reporter's conclusions do not follow logically from our original statement.

Suspension is an option which can be exercised where it may be in the interests of the investigation, the service, the public or indeed the accused officers for them to be 'distanced' from their normal role after an allegation is made.

Suspension is not an indicator that an officer has or has not breached the discipline code and therefore neither is re-instatement.

Quite rightly, and in fairness to all concerned, only the conclusion of proper procedures can establish that. As already stated, these procedures are continuing in this case.

I welcome the process that we have started to return these officers to duty so they can once again contribute to the work of the North Yorkshire Police in serving our local communities.

But groundless speculation on matters that are still sub-judice will not assist this process.

Peter Howard Bagshaw,

Assistant Chief Constable,

North Yorkshire Police,

Newby Wiske, Northallerton.