AN MP has been made an honorary police officer.

Stockton South's Dari Taylor decided there was nothing like first hand experience when investigating the work of the police.

The Labour MP spent 30 days with Cleveland Police, working with surveillance officers in the Langbaurgh division, the Hartlepool drugs team, nightclub street patrols in Middlesbrough and traffic police on a Middlesbrough football match day.

Deputy chief constable Ron Hoggpresented Mrs Taylor with a police cravat and badge and the honorary rank of inspector.

The MP said: "This was an incredibly valuable experience for my understanding of the day to day work of police officers in Cleveland. I met officers throughout the authority for whom I have nothing but the highest praise and I was impressed again and again by the professional, efficient and instantaneous manner in which they carry out their extraordinary difficult work.

"I realised that, although I thought I knew a lot about this area, I didn't know enough. Whilst the police are often criticised by the public for not doing enough about certain criminals, I was repeatedly struck by the difficulties officers have in gathering evidence which would be accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service.

"It is clear to me that, whatever we are doing to tackle crime, we need to do more and that the police really require the support of both legislation and other agencies if they are to be effective in the community.''