COMPLAINTS from members of the public about "incivility and inconsiderate behaviour" by North Yorkshire police officers are on the increase, an internal force report shows.

For a two-month period from April 1 to May 31 this year, there were 55 per cent more complaints about officers' attitude than for the same period last year.

The report, by Assistant Chief Constable Peter Walker, comes at a time of falling police numbers and rising sickness levels among officers, adding to the stress and pressure on those left to police the streets.

Figures published by the Treasury earlier this month revealed that only two other forces in the country have more officers than North Yorkshire police retiring on medical grounds.

The latest report says: "It was noted that complaints recorded in the period under review showed a 9.5 per cent increase on the previous year and that, disappointingly, incivility and inconsiderate behaviour had increased by 55 per cent."

The average time taken to investigate complaints had risen to 110 days - com-fortably within the national target of 120 days - due to "a number of complicated and protracted investigations" recently dealt with by the force.

Three of the force's officers received superintendent's written warnings, which are for indiscretions not serious enough to go to a disciplinary tribunal.

But the report also showed that the informal resolution of complaints from the public had trebled.

Bob Humpleby, chairman of the North Yorkshire branch of the Police Federation, told the Evening Press: "Whilst we cannot condone this type of behaviour by officers, it confirms the points we have been making to the Chief Constable and the police authority that the reductions in staff numbers and increases in sickness figures are putting extreme pressure on front line officers."