There seems to be a growing number of complaints against the police, ranging from a lack of action on illegally-parked cars to over-aggressive behaviour during the Labour PartyConference.

I am sure the police service would be a lot more efficient if a certain amount of discipline returned to the force but changes on this scale can only be implemented from the highest level.

As much as many would like to return to the policing of the Dixon of Dock Green days, they are long gone. I am afraid we will now have to be content with just seeing a speeding police car rushing around and not dealing with the everyday problems affecting the vast majority of us.

I would be particularly interested to know how many police officers were on duty last Friday night between 10pm and 7am. Not many, I would guess. This is in contrast to only a few years ago, when anything less than 23 officers on one half of the town would have been completely unacceptable.

This was a time when there were police officers on the beat, fighting crime and yobs alike. A time when the force was one of the best in the country.

-David Rowland, Harvest Close, Telscombe Cliffs