IT IS good to see James Gray MP agreeing with so many of us over the issue of the closure of police stations and the waste of money chasing a long dead PM, when the urgent need is for policing today’s problems.
I wonder if he will go further and sign the petition that we have put together to get rid of police and crime commissioners (PCCs) and see a return to the police authority system?
Wiltshire Police is struggling with the third worst rate of staff dropping out (3.6%) in England and Wales, as well as with its appalling record of solving burglary remaining to be addressed.
At the same time, it has not only been wasting money on the Edward Heath inquiry, but has the second-highest ratio of senior officers to police constables in the Country at 1:146, compared to the national average of 1:459, meaning that proportionately considerably more money is being spent on the top brass here in Wiltshire than elsewhere in the country.
One way to turn this around would be to get rid of the PCCs and return to the old system of police authorities where councillors, magistrates and others gave their time freely to do the best for their communities.
We want the best for the police and the people of Wiltshire. To sign our petition please go to: northwiltslibdems.org.uk/ENDPCC
DR BRIAN MATHEW
Liberal Democrats, North Wiltshire
with
KEN FOREY
Former police inspector, Wiltshire
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