POLICE boss Charles Pollard has called for changes in law to keep the criminal justice system a credible institution for bringing offenders to justice.

Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Pollard spoke after releasing his annual report outlining the force's successes.

Mr Pollard said convictions against major criminals are becoming increasingly difficult to secure in the courts because defence lawyers can often use the law to their advantage.

He added: 'It has become ever more frustrating over the past year to see the force battling against a culture in which defence lawyers defending serious criminals caught 'bang to rights', attack every part of the prosecution case on a fishing trip, in the hope of finding or creating a doubt on the basis of some artificial or technical point of law.'

Mr Pollard said that 'whilst the accused can play fast and loose and also has avenues open to appeal, the prosecution (representing society, local communities and victims of crime) has no right of appeal to impact on that individual. It is important that this is changed if the criminal justice system is to remain a credible institution.'

The annual report highlighted a number of key changes, improvements and initiatives in the Chiltern Vale police area.

There was a 376 per cent increase in the reporting of racist incidents over the last year. Police launched a joint open surgery with Wycombe Race Equality Council.

Vehicle crime in the centre of High Wycombe fell by 50 per cent for the third consecutive year since the introduction of Wycombe Watch, a community safety initiative.

Wycombe-based officers have also been involved with the Revolving Doors Agency Link Worker programme.

People believed to be suffering from a mental disorder, who are detained by police, are now seen by the link worker with a view to accessing mental health services.

Police in Beaconsfield, together with other agencies, are planning to open an Internet Cafe for young people.

The report comes after Home Office statistics showed violent crime in the area rose by more than 27 per cent in the past year.