No say in policing

I feel as a pensioner, and a taxpayer, that I have no say in the priorities of policing adopted by the force I pay for. Visits to Community Police Committees tell me that I should not use 999 unless it is an emergency. But why should'nt I? The question is what is an emergency to me, may not be one to the police.

On the other hand, though I am constantly told about shortages in police manpower, when there are commercial enterprises like Bolton Wanderers matches, there is no difficulty in providing police for traffic duties at the taxpayers' expense. I am not anti sport, but with burglary and crime at a high rate, how are priorities determined, and how are our feelings considered?

The Community Police Committees are effective in dealing with issues of local concern. However, they have no power to influence priorities of policing.

I am aware there is a Police Authority. This is composed of councillors, magistrates and so-called independent members. The only group that could possibly be considered to represent the ordinary taxpayer is the councillors. But how? Few councillors even bother to attend Police Consultative Committees.

In any case there is nothing to stop a council member of the GMPA also being a magistrate, so they wear two hats. All the members of Police Authorities are appointees. Indeed after the fiasco of Merseyside Police Authority's appointment of a Chief Constable, there are doubts if they should be representing anyone. However some of us lost confidence in these bodies over "The John Stalker Affair".

My point is to express my frustration as a pensioner and taxpayer over the present system, and ask is it not time we who pay the bills were given a means by which we could directly select those in whom we have faith to represent our concerns?

No taxation without representation.

Name and address supplied.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.