Mr Coleman has dismissed criticism of the force's stance

The force came under fire after it turned down a request for pictures of Jason Croft and Michael Nixon.

In a statement David Coleman said that "at no point" did his force say it refused to issue pictures as it might infringe the prisoners' human rights.

The public's rights would "always come before those of convicted offenders."

Croft and Nixon, both 28 and from Manchester, have not been seen since they walked out of Sudbury jail last year.

'Inaccurate reporting'

Both were approaching the end of life sentences, handed down in 1996, for murder.

Derbyshire Police said issuing their pictures would not serve local policing purposes.

But the force attracted criticism after it said it also took into account the human rights and data protection acts, among other factors, when considering the release of criminals' photographs.

Mr Coleman said the quote about human rights was down to "inaccurate reporting".

He commented: "Derbyshire Constabulary would like to emphatically point out that the human rights of the individuals in question had no bearing on the decision to withhold the pictures, as misreported in the national media.

Jason Croft and Michael Nixon walked out of Sudbury last year

"This decision was, in fact, based on the reason that there was no local policing purpose to be served by the release of these photographs to the media in Derbyshire, as inquiries indicated that Croft and Nixon had fled the county and posed no risk to Derbyshire residents.

"In making decisions of this nature, Derbyshire Constabulary's position was, and remains, that the rights and safety of the general public will always come before those of convicted offenders."

Mr Coleman added that details of the absconders, including their photographs, were circulated to other forces, including those in areas where the two men had known links.

Greater Manchester Police has now taken over the investigation.