The fearsome reputation of riot police comes from their lack of toilet breaks, a top policeman claimed today.

Police are demanding to be rotated every 45 minutes when supervising riots and demonstrations - so that they can go for a toilet break.

Members of the West Midlands Police Federation complained in a survey of a 'lack of comfort breaks' during pre-planned public order duties.

Demands: West Midlands riot police, shown here at the Birmingham derby, say that insufficient toilet breaks drive them to 'incivility, impoliteness and intolerance'

Police chiefs fear the lack of loo breaks is behind complaints from members of the public of 'incivility, impoliteness and intolerance'.

Bryan Higgins, lead on health and safety for the force's federation, said officers cannot carry out duties effectively when they are desperate to use the toilet.

He told Police Review magazine: 'If you have not been able to go to the toilet and you desperately need to go, you are not going to be concentrating on the task in hand.

'You are going to be concentrating on not wetting yourself or not making a mess of yourself. It does cause major problems.

On duty: A spokesman says that police cannot be effective if they're 'concentrating on not wetting themselves'

'If you do not have sufficient staff on, the first thing to go is the ability to take a meal break or to go to the toilet.'

Mr Higgins revealed incivility was the biggest cause of complaints against the force, and warned the situation would be made worse by a lack of officers.

He demanded public order officers should be rotated from the front line after 45 minutes and forces must review 'safe staffing levels'.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said that adequate refreshment breaks were 'fundamental' to the planning process for major events.

He said: 'In pre-planned operations, a greater number of staff than the number of fixed posts will usually be deployed, to allow rotation of staff and refreshment, welfare and comfort breaks.

'All police officers are expected to act with self-control, tolerance and professionalism, treating members of the public and colleagues with respect and courtesy even in the most challenging of circumstances.'

A police chief apologised in February after officers complained of a lack of food, clothing and comfort breaks during last year's papal visit.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2016806/Riot-police-demand-...