DO WE need police commissioners? Already a great deal of money has been spent convincing us that we do.

I believe the last Government began the process to bring the chief constables of this country more under the governance of politicians than they are already. Is it not so that all chief constables are answerable to the Home Office, which is a wing of the ruling Government? I submit that this is not a good time, if at all, to bring our services of law and order further into the influence of politicians. This move is too soon after the MPs’ expenses scandal, which destroyed a great deal of the public’s faith in our government. The police service must remain a service where the officers serving swear an oath to the Monarch, not the Government. If that state remains, then officers of the law can, without fear or favour, investigate any misdoings within the Parliamentary ranks.

The victim in a crime is entitled to receive attention from the police, not a response which ticks the boxes on a Home Office statistics sheet. No matter what has already been spent in this time of fiscal austerity, I sincerely hope the Prime Minister has the courage to admit that the creation of the office of police commissioner is an ill-thought concept, and cancels the idea. If not, I hope his deputy proves the value of a coalition by firmly opposing this proposal. Keep our police service relatively politically free. It has taken enough of a hammering from the business managers and health and safety brigade. When a force does not deliver, then it and its chief constable should be made accountable but the safeguards in existence are sufficient at the present time.

CHRIS PAYNE

Turnpike Road

Bicester