NORTH Yorkshire's chief constable is mired in controversy again after ordering her officers to avoid jury service by turning up in uniform at court.

Della Cannings feels their time is better spent on the beat.

Police officers are no longer exempt from serving on a jury. The chief constable has infuriated legal authorities with a directive to officers that if they are selected for jury service, they should arrive in court in uniform, leaving the courts with no choice but to discharge them from their duties for fear of prejudicing cases.

Ms Cannings said the law change that opens the way for police officers to serve on juries would have a detrimental effect on the force because more officers would be taken away from their duties.

She fears most legal teams would de-select jurors who work in law enforcement anyway, resulting in a wasted trip for officers and civilian staff.

In a report to North Yorkshire Police Authority, Ms Cannings said: "It is not possible to require individual North Yorkshire police members to attempt to be excused. However, North Yorkshire police can and will encourage officers and staff to do so."

But Court Service chiefs said that all police staff members had a legal obligation to serve on a jury if called. A spokeswoman said: "Whether individual officers like the policy or not, they are required by law to serve on the jury."

Since the new rule came into effect on April 1, three constables and one civilian staff member have been summoned for jury service, each for a planned period of two weeks.

The court requires jurors to wear smart, casual dress and police officers have been told to carry a change of clothes.

The change in eligibility was introduced by the Government because, of an estimated 480,000 people called up to do jury service each year, only 200,000 were eligible.

As well as police officers, doctors, clergymen, solicitors and members of the Armed Forces are also no longer exempt from jury duty.

Police Federation representatives said they supported the chief constable in broad terms.

Mark Botham, North Yorkshire Police Federation chairman said: "Our view is that it may be force policy, but it is the individual officer who gets it in the neck. That cannot be fair."