FRONT-LINE police officers have been given new guidelines to help them tackle a prolific unseen crime.

About 8,000 incidents of domestic violence are reported each year across County Durham and Darlington, making violence in the home the largest source of all reported offences.

But the force hopes improvements in evidence-gathering and ways of identifying potential victims will bring a fall in the numbers of those suffering physical and mental abuse.

Durham's policy for tackling domestic violence has been revised in the wake of guidance issued to all 43 forces in England and Wales by ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers).

The forms for dealing with incidents now include a checklist to ensure officers are looking for the right sort of evidence at the scene of an incident.

Sergeants on operational shifts are being encouraged to play a more active part in checking the necessary actions are being followed up by the officers under their supervision.

Rachel Green who is based at Durham City police office, and is the county's strategic co-ordinator for domestic violence, said the changes should achieve greater consistency by ensuring those at the policing sharp end know the most effective procedures to follow.

"We are making these changes for the benefit of victims and children, building stronger cases which will hold the perpetrators to account.'' "Domestic violence is no longer a hidden problem. It is an issue which features in soap storylines on TV, is one of things we get measured on by Government inspectors and is a higher priority nationally than ever before.

"If the evidence is there offices can still record an incident as a crime, even if the victim decides not to make an official complaint.

"The police have a critical role to play when they attend an incident and the new policy will make the first response a more effective one,'' she said