A retiring chief constable says there is too much Government interference in policing.

Durham chief George Hedges, whose five-year contract ends in four weeks, has already criticised ministers for imposing targets, which, he says takes bobbies off the beat.

Mr Hedges, 60, who has 44 years police service, said the Government had a right to strive for services that the public wanted.

But he said: "There is a lack of trust, I am afraid to say, about the ability or genuine desire of people to deliver those services.

"I think the Government are a bit too interfering."

He said he had opposed the Government's plans for the service's new pay deal, which will allow chief constables to give special priority payments of up to £5,000 for officers doing "a special job".

He said the move was divisive, adding: "There's still a belief that you can wave a few pounds around in the public sector and they'll work harder. That's as untrue as it is offensive."

He said the Government should stop "playing around" with crime statistics, and the method for recording them, for political ends.

"They say there is less crime detected today. That's absolute rubbish. Ten years ago ,about 50 per cent of all detected crime was through criminals asking for crimes to be taken into consideration.

"You don't get any of that now. What you get is a proper detection rate reflecting good hard work."

Mr Hedges also said there should be a "mature" debate about whether drugs should be treated as a criminal or a health problem, adding that he did not think any illicit drug should be legalised.

He said he would miss the Durham force, which had provided the best nine years of his career - he was previously assistant chief constable.

He had "great admiration" for front-line officers who faced greater pressures and dangers than in previous eras. The force was "blessed with brilliant people".

He said every weekend four or five of his officers suffered minor injuries dealing with disturbances and domestic disputes.

Despite a "less tolerant and more knowledgeable society", the number of complaints against police officers nationally was falling.