Complaints against London's police officers have fallen dramatically over the past five years, according to new figures.

Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir John Stevens said there had been an "historic" decline in complaints.

Allegations against officers have dropped from 8,037 five years ago to 4,943 and civil actions dropped from 1,113 to 596.

Over the last five years, complaints about incivility had halved, people claiming they had been assaulted by officers fell 57% and complaints from people who had been stopped and searched were down 71%.

Macpherson Report

Commissioner Sir John Stevens said: "These reductions have been substantial in the last two or three years, it's the lowest number of complaints since 1996.

"That reduction is quite historic."

Stop and search was scaled back following the Macpherson Report into the murder of teenager Stephen Lawrence which found that police were institutionally racist.

The tactic caused "more conflict than any other single policing operation," according to Metropolitan Police Federation chairman Glen Smyth.

Last year the Metropolitan Police paid out �1.38 million in damages, compared to �2.66 million the year before.