A POLICE force is to carry out a major review of the way it deals with burglaries, theft, criminal damage, car crime and violence.

North Yorkshire Police is conducting a best value review of volume crime - the crimes that happen most regularly - on behalf of the county's police authority.

The investigation and reduction of these sorts of crimes was one of two areas graded as poor by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary when the results of an assessment were published in June.

North Yorkshire was ranked 38th and failed to receive excellent ratings in any of the 16 categories. As well as poor in high volume crimes, it was rated poor in performance management.

The assessments have since been revised and the volume crime mark upgraded to fair.

Now a special team, led by police authority member Bill Baugh, has been set up to carry out a review.

Members will be looking at other forces across the country to see if they have any procedures for tackling volume crime that could be implemented in North Yorkshire.

The force is also one of eight police forces chosen to run a pilot project looking at innovative ways of reducing volume crime.

Review team officers will be consulting with the other forces to monitor the results of the pilot project.

Computer systems and procedures will all be scrutinised at every stage of the process, from a crime being reported to a prosecution being brought, to see if they can be improved in any way.

The review team will consult widely with police officers and staff to try to identify any problems in the existing processes.

Members of the public will also be consulted through a number of surveys.

Review manager Linda Lofthouse said: "Tackling volume crime is the responsibility of staff right across the service.

"Therefore any improvements as a result of the review will have a direct effect on the day-to-day work of police officers and police staff, and help to reduce crime and increase detections.

"It will contribute to North Yorkshire Police's objectives of reducing, preventing and detecting crime and bringing more offenders to justice."

Anyone who would like to give their views should contact Ms Lofthouse on (01609) 789135.