Hundreds of part-time police officers have disappeared from their West Yorkshire beats.

West Yorkshire Police have 265 fewer Special Constables than in 1997, according to Home Office figures.

But the police, who are planning a big recruitment campaign, said the quality of the volunteers was more important than the numbers and those serving with the force are putting in more hours.

The Home Office said the number of Specials across England and Wales dropped by 44.7 per cent, from 19,874 in March 1997, to 10,988 in March last year.

In West Yorkshire the numbers decreased by 41.5 per cent from 690 to 403.

But the Force said that figure had now increased to 425. Forty more had been on an induction course last weekend and would now be hitting the streets, with a further 40 taking a course this weekend.

Detective Sergeant Steve Norman, of the Target team which uses Specials regularly for operations, said the standards set for recruiting part-time officers had stiffened in recent years.

He said: "It has become more difficult to meet the standard required for recruitment to the Special Constabulary.

"By concentrating more on quality than quantity, the ones we are recruiting are becoming more experienced a lot quicker. They are enjoying it more because they are involved in more."

Det Serg Norman said many Specials had joined the regular force, while a smaller number had become Community Support Officers.

In the last two years, 86 Special Constables had become regulars, while around five per cent of PCSOs had joined from the Special Constabulary.

But DS Norman said that seven induction courses were planned to recruit 280 Specials over the next 12 months.

He said there had been a massive increase in the number of hours worked by Specials, who were being used on operations which could see them on duty for ten or eleven hours.

"There are fewer Specials doing more," he added.

Det Serg Norman said Special Constables were extremely important to the force and Target had extended their training to cover public order, so they could be deployed at football matches and large events.

"We utilise them as we would regular officers, at all times of day and night," he said. "It's important that we have got the right people, who demonstrate the right commitment and want to serve the communities in which they work.

"That's more important than just trying to get as many people as possible."

West Yorkshire Police's Special Constable of the Year, Dennis McCoy, 38, the managing director of a manufacturing firm in Shipley, works between 70 and 100 hours a week as a part-time officer.

He said: "The role of the Special has changed dramatically.

"We are now involved in front-line, hard core policing, dealing with public order, anti-social behaviour and binge drinking, searches of drug dealers and entering properties. The enthusiasm and motivation is there and we are cost effective."

Specials are unpaid and are required to work a minimum of four hours a week.

They have much the same powers as regular officers and more than PCSOs.