STANDARDS are rising among all the region's police forces, according to performance figures released by the Home Office yesterday.

All four of the region's forces said they were pleased with the assessments published yesterday.

The publication comes at a particularly sensitive time for the region's police - with the Government considering merging a number of forces.

Cleveland Police, which is opposing a proposed merger with neighbouring Durham and Northumbria into one North-East force, prefers the creation of a Tees Valley force. It was found to have made significant improvements in the past 12 months.

After being on the receiving end of Government criticism in recent years, the force was found to be improving in four of the seven areas to be assessed and had reached at least a "fair" standard in all areas.

Chief Constable Sean Price said: "The results show we are improving in four areas and maintained our work in the others, and that is a credit to all our officers and staff."

The figures produced yesterday were the first detailed overview of policing performance produced by combining the work of the Police Standards Unit and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary.

Forces were assessed in 26 areas, with the figures grouped in seven themes: reducing crime; investigating crime; promoting safety; providing assistance; citizen focus; resource use; and local policing.

Durham Police improved in four of the seven areas and was rated as "excellent" for reducing crime.

Chief Constable Paul Garvin said: "The assessments confirm Durham's strengths across a whole range of issues, in particular neighbourhood policing and reducing hate crime, especially those involving vulnerable adults."

Northumbria Police also improved in four of the seven areas and was judged to be excellent in two - reducing crime and local policing. However, its performance in investigating crime was found to have deteriorated, from excellent to good, one of only six forces in the country to have seen its standards slip in that area.

Nevertheless, Chief Constable Mike Craik, who has pioneered the force's total policing policy, said: "This assessment is a sound reflection on the energy and commitment which all officers and police staff have put into reducing crime and disorder."

Meanwhile, North Yorkshire Police was found to have improved in six of the seven areas examined.

Under the current Home Office review, the force is likely to be merged with some or all of West Yorkshire Police, South Yorkshire Police and Humberside Police.

North Yorkshire Police Authority chairwoman Jane Ken-yon said the assessment demonstrated the progress the force had made. She said: "Sadly, even though North Yorkshire Police is flourishing in many areas, it is clear from the current review of police structures that the force is not considered large enough to be able to deal effectively with things like major crime and critical incidents.

"The likelihood is that we will be asked by the Home Secretary to amalgamate with one or more forces in the Yorkshire and Humber region to create a force large enough to tackle these issues."