TWO police forces have come under scrutiny for paying out thousands of pounds on training for senior officers.

Cleveland Police paid £29,527 to a training company for mentoring for six staff, a Freedom of Information request revealed.

The force was the second highest spender on private coaching in the country.

North Yorkshire Police was also named in the report by the Police Review magazine after it spent £11,750 on training for Deputy Chief Constable Adam Briggs.

Members of North Yorkshire Police Authority will look into the details of the force’s spending when they meet later this month.

It is understood the personal development training, which took place between 2007 and 2009, will be examined to find out if it is classed as the kind of training that the officer already receives an annual payment of £10,000 for as part of his salary.

The authority will also look at whether the procurement rules were followed for the work by training company Enabling Development.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said: “Regulating the terms and conditions of North Yorkshire’s chief police officers is a matter for North Yorkshire Police Authority. It is understood that the police authority will shortly meet to consider these issues, which relate to a specific aspect of the arrangements in respect of Deputy Chief Constable Briggs.”

Police authority chief executive Jeremy Holderness said the authority was examining the details to see if any action was necessary.

Mr Briggs is already embroiled in a disciplinary process following claims that senior officers helped family members in a recruitment drive in February last year.

The officer said he would appeal against a guilty ruling of discreditable conduct by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Cleveland Police said the purpose of its training was to “provide the best possible leaders within policing” so it could deliver an excellent service to local communities.

A spokeswoman said: “We picked the provider who best fitted the needs of the Cleveland Police in driving forward our performance agenda as we wanted to get the most return for our investment.”

The force said spending on training from private firms would be reduced after the reductions in its budget from the national spending review.