A constant cry from the public is to see more bobbies on the beat.

We have had frequent indications from senior officers in Thames Valley that this is their aim, yet it is still not happening.

Chief Constable Peter Neyroud has succeeded in easing the force's chronic recruitment and retention problems, and now has record number of officers at his disposal.

But getting police out on the streets remains an unfulfilled dream.

Experienced officers are being increasingly diverted to specialist roles in charge of firearms, criminal intelligence and domestic violence.

Demands are also growing for more manpower to deal with abuse against children, monitoring paedophiles and investigating Internet child pornography.

No-one is suggesting that these are not important areas of policing.

But the force will inevitably be judged by its effectiveness in solving not only major crime but such offences as street violence, car theft and burglary.

The Police Federation believes that the Government is trying to fill the gap 'on the cheap' by recruiting hundreds of community support officers.

They clearly have a role to play. But in most people's eyes, they are no replacement for the once-familiar and now all-too-rare bobby on the beat.