A TEAM of police officers involved in high-risk offender management have received an official accolade.

Home Office experts awarded five members of Durham Police's public protection unit (PPU) gold service accreditation following a recent inspection.

Sergeant Pete Mullings and PCs Christine Cuthbertson, Barbara Parking, Denise Riley and Ian Haddick work with the probation, youth engagement and prison services, dealing with risk assessment and management of inmates nearing the end of prison sentences, including sex offenders.

They also monitor more than 400 registered sex offenders who have the potential to re-offend.

Many receive unannounced home visits by PPU staff to check if they were complying with their obligations.

Their work involves updating the police national computer and intelligence databases.

The unit's remit also covers violent criminals, who may still pose a risk to the public.

Durham was one of six areas visited by the Home Office team, led by Professor Hazel Kemshall, an expert in community and criminal justice studies, from de Montfort University.

They awarded the unit the gold service standard for its risk assessment and management, and also praised the "fully integrated joint working partnership" between the bodies involved in public protection.

Detective Chief Inspector Colin Pearson said the PPU's joint working arrangements had proved instrumental in several high-risk offenders being recalled to prison after concerns were raised over their activities.