Peter Bartlett (Oxford Mail, October 16) clearly has an insight into policing that enables him to comment with some authority. That is good and adds to the debate.

However, I am sure he would be the first to admit that policing would have changed significantly during his time with the service, and the same is equally true now.

What he and I would want is more officers.

We know that with more officers, we could reduce and detect more crime, as illustrated in recent centrally-funded initiatives aimed at particular problems (such as last year's alcohol misuse enforcement campaign).

However, I am a realist and the current funding provides only for Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).

The point I continue to make is that we need PCSOs in our neighbourhoods across the city.

More police would be good, but they would be, rightly, directed into combating terrorism and tackling cross-border criminals.

Oxford, while statistically a safe city, still feels insecure to many who live and work within it, and it is this we aim to tackle through dealing with lower-level crime and disorder.

What I need are people who stay in their neighbourhoods and can tackle the clamour for visible action at a local level.

PCSOs provide this and are not taken away to meet other major policing demands.

This is why so many people are keen to take up this new role and come and work in the city.

Over the next two years, the numbers of PCSOs will increase markedly on our streets and that can only be a better thing.

Oxford is currently bucking a national trend and has falling levels of street robbery. All of us involved in policing will continue to work hard to reduce crime and disorder in the city and that includes the very valuable contribution made by the PCSOs.

If Mr Bartlett would care to contact me, I would welcome the opportunity to show him how much policing has changed and the valuable contribution made by the PCSOs.

JIM TROTMAN (Supt) Area Commander Oxford City Thames Valley Police