Sir, When Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police I held frequent briefings with the 20 MPs from my patch, often in Parliament, and on urgent national policing issues I would send them specific briefing papers.

Subjects included such points as proposed legislation involving the balance between public safety, security and civil liberties. The MPs welcomed the information and indeed often sought it. They, the citizens of Thames Valley and I all expected nothing less.

I am therefore surprised to hear that some MPs of all parties resent being informed about police views on terrorism. The new terrorist threat is completely different from anything else we have ever experienced. Our enemies regard themselves as at war with the UK, are prepared to go to any lengths to kill as many of our citizens as they can by whatever means they can, and to exploit every bit of new technology to do so.

What greater reason could there be for an informed debate based on the facts? Even if MPs read the police briefings it is clear from the debates that many of them have made their judgments not on the future threat and the actions needed to tackle it, but on the past terrorist threat and what we did about it then.

The police have the awesome responsibility of trying to prevent massive atrocities; the trauma of dealing with the dead, injured and the bereaved; and to apprehend the planners and perpetrators in totally new technological and global circumstances.

Ironically, if things go wrong it is the police who are most likely to be in the political firing line, while those MPs who have ducked their responsibility will be among the people asking the questions.

One thing is almost certain – that day of judgment sadly will come and we can only hope that not many people lose their lives before reality dawns.

SIR CHARLES POLLARD
Chief Constable, Thames Valley Police, 1991- 2002
London SW1

Sir, I don’t remember any concern when the BMA and the GMC lobbied parliament supporting the smoking ban: an issue that involves public safety and the restriction of civil liberties.

Why then, all the fuss when the police do the same about the detention of terrorist suspects?

MARK STREVETT
London SW14

Sir, Despite all Tony Blair’s rhetoric about being tough on crime, what has happened to our police force over the past decade?

Over the past week we have seen the police lobbying MPs over 90-day detention for suspected terrorists, another step on a potentially dangerous path of the police becoming involved in politics. We have seen over the past decade a greater alienation between the police and the public because of the upsurge in punitive speed cameras.

The individual who suffers a burglary or car crime cannot often get a satisfactory response, as the police claim they are too busy, yet we have a situation where one dedicated police officer in the country can achieve more than 300 arrests a year while the average is less than 10 (letter, November 9).

What do we need to do to give the police the motivation and direction to tackle the real criminal issues that blight the public?

GEOFF NORTH
Leeds

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