AN agreed formula to follow during the investigation of race hate and religiously aggravated crimes has been formally adopted.

The framework was drawn up to ensure a consistent approach in inquiries into sensitive cases across County Durham and Darlington.

Backed by Darlington and County Durham Racial Equality Council (REC), it follows joint training exercises involving police officers, members of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), community groups and other agencies.

The guidelines stipulate the way racist incidents are recorded and investigated; how the crime affects on victims; procedures custody officers should follow in handling allegations about suspects; and how the prosecution process is pursued.

Durham Chief Constable Paul Garvin was joined by presiding judge Richard Lowden, the county's chief crown prosecutor, Jeff Corrighan, and Patricia Poinen, chairwoman of the Darlington and County Durham REC, at the protocol launch at Durham Crown Court.

Mr Garvin said: "It's important that we identify the needs of potentially vulnerable groups, such as ethnic communities, and work together to have a joined-up criminal justice system to support their needs as victims and witnesses, and deal really positively with racist incidents and race crime."

Chief Inspector Neil Malkin, head of Durham Police's community safety department, said: "By focusing on the operational response to racial incidents, from initial investigation through to the prosecution of the people responsible, we hope to reinforce the message to our minority ethnic communities and the public at large that it will not be tolerated.