HUNDREDS of police officers are to sharpen their investigation skills under a pilot on-the-job training package.

Front-line officers in Derwentside and Sedgefield divisions will be the first to pilot the scheme, which will eventually be rolled out to the rest of the force.

Durham Constabulary has one of the best detection rates in the country.

But a comprehensive review confirmed that crime investigation and intelligence gathering techniques of many uniformed constables is inadequate.

A mini project team, comprising Inspector Kevin Weir, from Sedgefield, and Detective Sergeant Phil Stokoe, from headquarters training, was set up in the summer.

They examined national developments in professionalising the investigating process, known as PIP. The pair have produced written guidance on the process and prepared training sessions and information packs for inspectors and sergeants to deliver the coaching.

Detective Chief Superintendent Ian Scott, head of CID, insisted that the shortcomings of uniformed officers was down to the force's failure to provide enough mentoring and coaching.

He said: "Durham Constabulary has not supported its staff in recent years in preparing for the function of investigation.

"The new pilot will reverse that trend by breaking down an investigation into a number of elements.

"When all those elements are properly brought together, the quality of the investigation will be dramatically improved by doing things the right way."

The new package will be used widely to influence the way in which inquiries are launched in the wake of crimes, including house burglaries, assaults and criminal damage.

The training package has the backing of the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Home Office, and the Police Skills and Standards organisation.

It is designed to shorten inquiries, produce better evidence, result in fewer not guilty pleas, more convictions and better targeting of offenders.

Det Chief Supt Scott said: "What PIP will do is educate officers and establish solid standards for tackling the bread and butter investigations of everyday policing.

"It is a question of doing the simple things properly and, at the same time, giving reassurance that what they have done is meeting accepted professional standards."