WILTSHIRE Constabulary will be one of the first forces in the country to employ new local investigation officers in the latest effort to free up police time.

The new post has been dubbed "the missing link" between the role of a traditional bobby and that of the Crown Prosecution Service, which brings cases to court.

Until now police officers have had to take witness statements and finish background work alongside their traditional duties, which has meant less time patrolling the streets.

The force has been handed £389,592 in government cash to appoint six local investigation officers over the next two years.

The civilian officers will help probe reports of vandalism and theft, filling in forms, sorting paperwork and checking CCTV images. They are likely to work in the west of the county.

Wiltshire Police Authority clerk, Kieran Kilgallen, said: "The money will help create six additional staff, which will be the missing link between police officers, the prison handling team and the Crown Prosecution Service.

"Their role will include taking statements from members of the public involved in incidents and collecting background information, which at the moment involves sending a police officer to an address."

The pilot scheme is one of ten in the country, which Home Secretary David Blunkett hopes will allows officers to investigate more serious crimes.