Police chiefs have marked the first anniversary of a massive anti-crime drive by announcing that its arrest tally has passed 2,800.

In the first 12 months of West Yorkshire Police's Target Initiative, 584 people have been picked up in the Bradford district by its special arrest squads and high-profile patrols.

Chief Constable Graham Moore said the drive had played an important role in post-riot Bradford, helping to fill gaps left by officers called to investigate the disorder.

Mr Moore said that officers usually based in headquarters departments such as Operational Support and Crime Squads had been drafted in to patrol crime blackspots and tackle robbers, burglars and drug dealers.

He revealed this had provided an extra 4,500 extra days of front-line policing - with an equivalent cost of more than £2m.

"I know that people have especially welcomed seeing and talking to officers out and about in their bright yellow jackets. The good news is that in the coming year, there will be many more Target initiatives putting more officers out on the streets."

He dismissed claims that the initiative was a simple public relations exercise, and added: "To have a two-year initiative which has already seen 2,810 arrests is quite a good PR exercise, isn't it?"

And he said that although Target would officially end in 12 months, its methods would be adopted into everyday policing.