TWO Appleby police officers hit on the idea of improving relations between the police and the public by inviting people to visit the town's 200-year-old former county jail.

And they have now been commended by Cumbria's Chief Constable, Michael Baxter, for their "proactive approach" to local policing.

PC Roland Earl and Sergeant Grant Warwick are members of the police community section for north Cumbria, based in Appleby. When the section was set up, the initial challenge was to engage the public in a collective and creative fashion, to improve public relations.

'We talked it over,' said Sgt Warwick, 'and focused on the fact that the police station in the town was originally the county jail back in the 1770s. We thought about organizing school visits and the like, but then wondered if we could interest television to bring 'The Time Machine' programme to Appleby. It seemed a bit ambitious, but the more we discussed it, the more it fitted in with what we wanted to achieve'.

The programme agreed to come to the county town, and while the dig was televised, the two officers were filmed for the final production. The two also researched and prepared descriptive notes for use by pupils, teachers and the public who visited the site during the three days of the dig, and more than 1,000 people made use of these. Local people also volunteered to help the archaeologists working on 'The Time Machine'.

The television executives praised the two officers for what they called their 'organisational skills and willingness to engage.' They also noted that the event 'left local people with a very positive feeling about the police'.

Sgt Warwick commented: 'That was our intention. We've followed up last year's programme with a series of talks to schools, Women's Institutes and the like, and have four talks planned for this year.

'We want people to feel that it is not about the police being the police. It's about police officers being individuals, being known by name and not just part of a big organisation'.

The commendation presented to the two officers also praised their efforts to stimulate some change in the organization of the annual Appleby Fair, which should lead to it becoming a safer and more enjoyable spectacle for the townspeople and travelling population alike.