CRISIS talks are to be held between North Yorkshire Police’s top officer and the Government after the force rejected every applicant for one of its most senior roles.

The position of deputy chief constable has been vacant since its previous holder, Adam Briggs, retired earlier this year.

Candidates for the post were interviewed last week, but North Yorkshire Police Authority decided not to appoint any of them, and the organisation met on Friday to discuss interim plans for the role.

North Yorkshire’s Chief Constable, Grahame Maxwell, is now to meet officials from the Home Office and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) this week at a senior appointments panel which will look at the next steps for appointing his deputy in the immediate future and long-term.

The force’s two current assistant chief constables, Sue Cross and Tim Madgwick, have shared the post of deputy since Mr Briggs’ departure, which came following a nepotism controversy which also saw Mr Maxwell given a final written warning for helping a relative during a police recruitment exercise.

The police authority confirmed on Friday that Mr Madgwick is still temporary deputy, but it was unsure who would be acting in the post beyond that.

Four candidates for the post were interviewed, believed to include ACC Cross and ACC Madgwick.

HM Inspector Roger Baker, himself a former deputy chief constable with North Yorkshire Police, said: “Conversations have taken place with the police authority, and we are happy with the arrangements in place.

“They will be under constant review.”

A force spokesman said North Yorkshire had the lowest level of crime in England.