Back to the Met

sir – Cressida Dick, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, is trying to persuade recently retired officers to return to the force, with their former ranks and salaries (report, September 12). Their pensions will apparently be deferred. This is an attempt to make up for the lack of recruits coming to London because of the high cost of living and the relatively low salary.

This initiative is unlikely to succeed. Police officers can already serve to the age of 60. Most would have decided to leave before that age, as soon as they had pensionable service.

Apart from the physical and mental stress of policing today, officers face mounting paperwork, a lethargic prosecution system and political pressure to concentrate on the latest perceived problem, whether it be hate crime or cyber-bullying. Less time is spent on investigating and preventing crimes such as burglary and criminal damage. Why would officers who left on pension wish to return?

Ironically, a few years ago, chief constables were using Regulation A19 to force officers at the top of their salary scales to retire, so they could hire cheaper probationer constables. Charles Nunn

Upton, Wirral