POLICE in County Durham could soon be getting back-up from community support officers.

The force is seeking Home Office funding to put 27 of the new-style officers into three of its divisions.

A team of ten has been operating in Darlington since January.

Community support officers wear a police-style navy blue uniform but are not full police officers.

They can issue fixed penalty tickets for anti-social behaviour such as drunkeness, graffiti and littering.

But the force sees them as providing valuable back-up that frees regular officers to tackle more serious problems.

By the end of the month, the force should know whether its plans have received Government approval and funding.

The Darlington officers are fully-funded by the Home Office, but this time, the Government will pay only half the costs for three years.

A report to a meeting of the police authority tomorrow says the force is bidding for £587,262, and has secured further funding of £647,551.

Chief Constable Paul Garvin said nine of the posts would be filled by traffic wardens, and the remainder would be recruits.

They would be deployed in the Derwentside, Durham and Chester-le-Street and Sedgefield divisions.

Mr Garvin said: "In the event of our bid being unsuccessful, in consultation with partners and divisional representatives, a fall-back plan is being formulated to secure funding for posts."