One wouldn't argue with Ivor Caplin's contention (The Argus, February 17) that the police have to give priority to serious or life-threatening incidents over non-urgent cases.

However, he implies policing a pop concert is more serious and, therefore, urgent than dealing with a terrified widowed pensioner's home being vandalised.

I don't think so. In the same issue of The Argus, a very similar incident in Hailsham is reported, where, again, the police failed to respond speedily.

There has been a change over the past 50 years in how the police seem to see their role.

They no longer regard themselves as public servants whose foremost duty is to protect citizens and their property.

They now behave like the masters, bootlicking politicians and picking what they will or will not do on the basis of how macho and high-profile the task may be.

Never anything too difficult but something where they can rush in mob-handed, with lights flashing and dressed up like mini-Rambos, or can lurk in their hundreds to intimidate citizens engaged in legitimate protests.

This attitude change has occurred while, increasingly, they treat honest Joe Public as the enemy and charge us through the nose for the service we want but never get.

Mr Caplin also mentioned the policing of the recent Gatwick emergency.

Why should Sussex householders pay for this? Why aren't all our airports policed by a national specialist force similar to the British Transport Police and funded by the airports?

Better still, why isn't airport security in the hands of the real professionals - the RAF Regiment, whose raison d'tre is airfield defence?

The sight of police carrying machine guns in the passenger lounges at Gatwick fills me with horror. Has anyone really thought through the likely implications of a gun battle in the passenger areas if a terrorist incident occurred?

If the Sussex police force was an optional commodity, I for one would cease to buy it.

-Tony Sturley, Warren Way, Telscombe Cliffs