A POLICE chief who claims he is the subject of a smear campaign has been challenged to name those he thinks are working against him.

Councillor Ken Walker, chairman of the Cleveland Police Authority last night criticised the force's Chief Constable, Sean Price, who has stated publicly there is "a concerted smear campaign against myself and members of my team.''

His claim followed the alleged leak of a letter written by Steve Prevel, the police financial officer suspended following the revelation of the £7.8m deficit in Cleveland Police funds.

Coun Walker said: "I believe Mr Price has a duty to the authority to disclose the names of individuals and the motives he believes are behind this alleged campaign.

"I understand the stress he may have been under since this problem first came into the public arena.

"But this in no way gives him licence to make such public statements, given that it was quite clear the members of this authority democratically decided that it is not appropriate for him to discuss any of these issues in public."

"I can honestly say that I have never come across anything like this in 20 years of public service."

Last night, Mr Price declined to comment on Coun Walker's challenge but his earlier claims of a smear campaign were backed by the Mayor of Middlesbrough, Ray Mallon.

Mr Mallon has called for an investigation to be launched into the leaking of Mr Prevel's letter.

He said: "As far as the letter is concerned this should part and parcel of the investigation into Mr Prevel.

"The leaking of that document was a cynical attempt to derail the investigation into the financial deficit and drag the chief constable into this fiasco.

"I have a suspicion of who the culprits are and it is time for them to draw a line under this stupidity and allow the chief constable and Cleveland Police to do what they are paid to - and that is to police the streets."

A yet-to-be published Audit Commission report into the financial blackhole reveals the Cleveland Police Authority was warned of financial problems ahead, five years ago. Mr Price has been in his post for little more than a year.