Sixty civilian patrol officers will soon be on the streets of Leeds and Bradford.

The Home Office has given West Yorkshire Police more than �500,000 to recruit the community support officers (CSOs) as part of a drive to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Nationally, more than 1,000 CSOs will be on the streets within months.

Already 45 men and women have been employed to work with the Metropolitan Police.

They will not replace police officers

David Blunkett Home Secretary

Like their colleaugues in London, the West Yorkshire CSOs will take part in a pilot scheme that will give them powers to detain, but not arrest, members of the public for 30 minutes.

Rank and file police officers have opposed the introduction of CSOs

The chairman of the Police Federation, Jan Berry, said: "Their three week training programme won't equip them to deal with some of the very difficult problems they will come across in the street."

But the Home Secretary David Blunkett denies this is policing on the cheap.

High visibility

"They will not replace police officers," he says.

"They are an additional resource aimed at further reducing crime and the fear of crime and their introduction has been worked up in close consultation with the police service."

Welcoming Mr Blunkett's announcement, Acting Chief Constable Phillip Brear said West Yorkshire's community safety officers will be deployed in Leeds and Bradford.

"Their remit will include high visibility patrols, and advising the community on crime reduction and neighbourhood watch projects," he said.