Police must end their stunts and put heroes first

Two items in The Mail on Sunday struck me last week: the image of officers on dodgems at a funfair and the report that some chiefs have declined to send officers to Poppy Day parades due to budget cuts. Surely, if we can pay police officers to lark about at fairs, then we should at least see a police presence at Remembrance Day parades?

Who are these people who have made these crass decisions? Are they not aware that those being honoured laid down their lives so that our country could enjoy the freedoms we have today?

It is important that we remember all those who fought, who suffered great hardship, injury and death in the quest to prevent our country falling into the hands of tyrants. Ruth Peberdy, Stawell, Somerset It is disgraceful that police are refusing to turn out for Poppy Day parades. This comes at a time when they think it is fine to get involved in silly stunts such as dressing up in bear costumes and painting their nails ‘to fight slavery’. It’s just another depressing example of how we have lost our way. A. Brown, Surrey I had a lovely day in London recently until it was marred by intimidation from Millwall’s so-called football fans, who brought London Bridge to a standstill. I was amazed at the number of police there to safeguard the public.

So I feel incensed that the police we pay for can do this and yet cannot protect our marching veterans at a poignant time. All our veterans should be remembered and respected. They fought for this country, and those who survived rebuilt it after the First and Second World Wars. L. Hellers, Dartford, Kent If there is one time of year when our nation has cause to feel patriotic, it is in November. And today, living in the shadow of terrorism and nuclear weapons, it is even more important that children should be aware of the wars and what their greatgrandparents endured.

I urge Prime Minister Theresa May to stop the police budget cuts and put officers back on our streets so that they can carry out their duties, such as protecting Poppy Day parades, which can then be kept alive for future generations.

It’s not much to ask to remember all those brave soldiers. David Courtney, Weston-super-Mare