Illiterate police

sir – I was appalled to read your report, “Police ‘illiterate in English’ recruited in diversity drive” (January 27).

I served as a police officer in Birmingham and fully support diversity of all kinds, but not at the expense of public safety. If an officer cannot read, write or express themselves effectively, how can they possibly be expected to make critical judgments in a dangerous situation?

In certain circumstances this could be very damaging and even cost lives. Christopher Fry

Banbury, Oxfordshire