From Roger S. Taylor:-

IN her letter (Mailbox, August 25th) about the parking fiasco at Thurstaston, Mrs Passmore touched on something far more serious than an 'unfortunate' local incident - namely, the attitude of the senior police officers who ordered the issuing of the tickets.

Poor communication between senior and junior ranks was strongly criticised recently by H.M. Chief Inspector of Constabulary in his report on integrity in the police service.

The management of the service is infested with fast-track, accelerated promotion individuals who have neither the experience nor the judgement - wisdom, if you will - to give rank and file police officers the leadership they are entitled to, or to command their respect.

They spend much of their time mouthing buzz phrases - 'achievement focus' and 'training envelopes' are two I have heard recently - honing their media and PR skills and, above all, ensuring that others can be blamed when things go wrong.

The ivory tower mentality wilfully neglects the wealth of talent, experience and goodwill that is still to be found among the constables and sergeants who do the actual policing - and which could be harnessed to tackle some of society's real problems.

Worse, these same officers find themselves having to deal with an increasingly mistrustful and angry public knowing that they can expect little support from above. As a result, morale has collapsed and more officers are becoming disenchanted and over-stressed, leading in turn to further alienation of the public.

All of which prompts the question: what can we do about it? I say 'we' because the police are unlikely to put their own houses in order. The influential elements in senior management won't and the rank and file can't - any constable foolish enough to criticise his superiors can look forward to the severest 'career reprisals' for his pains.

And if we do not do it, who will? HMI also found it necessary in his report to quote the adage: "All that is needed for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing."

Well to start with, Mrs Passmore could raise Cain with her MP and the Home Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, as could anyone who is concerned about this. The Press, too, ought to take up this cause, vigorously.

The continuing deterioration of the Police Service will affect us all sooner or later, and badly. None of us can afford the luxury of standing idly by, waiting for someone else to do something.

The Police Service needs our help and it needs it urgently.

Rycroft Road, Meols.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.