We need police on patrol, not staring at computers
THESE are worrying times for the police, and it would appear many are considering leaving the service because of the high levels of stress. When I was a police officer, we always felt we had the support of the government and the public. But times are changing, and the police can no longer rely on government support. The public have been alienated by the closure of so many police stations. The idea of officers working out of shops, supermarkets and post offices is a hare-brained scheme dreamed up by someone who has no idea of what policing is all about. The majority of police officers are keen, hard-working and constantly under pressure from all sides to do a good job. However, they have become reactive as opposed to pro-active, continually chasing their tails trying to catch up with the job. Consequently, this leads to criticism and the public is losing faith in them. The one thing that successive governments have failed to do is put more police where it matters — on the streets. Police community support officers (PCSOs) are an expensive luxury because they are not able to perform the full duties of a fully trained police officer. Computers are an excellent aid to policing if used correctly, but what we don’t want is to have police officers sitting in front of them for hours. I don’t care what all the ‘experts’ say, the police need to be visible in public. Their primary objective is the prevention of crime and the protection of life and property, and they won’t do that sitting in an office. Civilian staff should be doing the bulk of the paperwork to free up officers to walk the streets, as we used to.
WAYNE BOOTHROYD, London.