FREEMASONS within the police force would be unwilling to publicly declare membership of the secret society, a senior officer has said.

Chief Constable George Hedges, of Durham Police, believed officers would rather record the information on personal files should it be needed.

Only one in three police officers and support staff nationally answered a recent voluntary survey on Freemasonry membership.

Home Secretary Jack Straw believes people have the impression that Freemasonry can interfere with police work.

He wants to see more openness in line with the Government's policy about Freemasonry in the criminal justice system.

Mr Hedges, who is not a Freemason, said: "If officers are asked to go on a register they will not.

"My stance has been to put the information on personal files, and if that's not good enough then there should be legislation for everyone and not just Freemasons."

Yesterday, a meeting of Durham Police Authority, at County Hall, heard a compulsory registration scheme could only be introduced through new laws.

Members were told there needed to be rules for determining whether the need to disclose membership was legitimate and justified.

A report to the authority said there was a need to balance the interests of openness and public confidence against interests of individual officers