MORE Police Community Support Officers are to patrol West Yorkshire's streets following a Government cash handout.

The Home Office is providing half the money for West Yorkshire Police to recruit 44 officers, with four coming to Kirklees to work on anti-social behaviour projects.

The news follows an evaluation of support officers in West Yorkshire published by Leeds University's Centre for Criminal Justice Studies.

The report highlights the good work being done by the support officers and the positive impact they are having on communities.

A new scheme will see eight support officers covering West Yorkshire's public transport network.

The partnership involves Metro, who have provided half the cost of the support officers, and British Transport Police.

Twelve support officers will be used in the Operation Circle project, which is running in Calderdale and Wakefield.

It aims to improve the quality of life of people in defined areas by working within the community and forming links between police and people.

A further 24 support officers will take up their roles in the force area, based on an assessment of need using the National Intelligence Model.

They will start work in the Pudsey/Weetwood Division of Leeds.

Chief Insp Shaun Tunstall, head of the plural policing unit, said: "I'm delighted we have been able to secure an extra 44 support officers.

"With this round of money we are providing more diversity in terms of where the support officers are located."

Det Chief Supt Grahame Bullock, head of West Yorkshire Police's community safety department, said: "We are fully committed to reducing anti-social behaviour, as well as providing an opportunity for people to bring to our attention issues that are affecting their quality of life.

"The support officers have made an extremely valuable contribution to the areas in which they work in deterring potential offenders and reassuring the community.

"This can only be strengthened by the additional officers."

In May, Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy praised the work of the community patrol project during a visit to Huddersfield.