The only people who belive the police in the UK are doing a good job are those who have no direct contact with them. Good officers are very much in the minority. Complaints need to be looked at by a truly indpendent body and dismissal without pension benefits should apply not "early retirement".

Anthony, Nottingham, UK

They should have less forms to fill in and spend more time patrolling on foot. Keep it simple and regularly patrol pubs and clubs at night - that's where the 'average citizen' will most likely come to harm - and lay off the motorist.

Justin, Nr Lincoln, UK

Does anyone really think this kind of thing only started this year????????????

malcolm Kinnear, ios, Cyclades, greece

Targets that are set by the Home Office will always have the priorty. Local issues take second strand, service to the local population suffers. The reason - bonus payments for Senior ranks for meeting the laid down critera. I have yet to see anyone stand up to the HO and say We will Police our way

Wilf, Doncaster,

Dave Farmer from Broxbourne - if you have committed a traffic or petty offence you are not "relative(ly) innocent", you are guilty.

No matter how small, a crime is still a crime. Should the police pay more attention to serious crimes? Arguably yes, but no-one should be above the law, ever.

Gareth, St Peter Port, UK

My father in law and I have recently experienced an unhelpful respone from my local police station following a perfectly legitamate request.It has made me think twice now about helping them again in the furture.

A sad reflection on cooperation and trust which seems to be getting worse.

Robin, Hove, UK

'willingly put themselves in harms way '..? Ha! All they do these days is collect as much DNA as possible by arresting people who are 'drunk and disorderly'. The rest of the time you can see them shopping at Tesco, if the dumpy one driving the squad car to get there can see over the steering wheel.

Stephen, Wales & West,

Dented and bruised is puting it rather mildly dont you think? I called 999 because a female neighbour threatened tocarve me up with her blade after calling me a disabled old cripple; A WPC said she would ask them to leave me alone. Next time I will deal with it myself.

tiny, Birmingham, England

"sure there are a few bad ones .. don't you get that in all walks of life?"
I think the trouble is that 'one rotten apple' is particularly true when it usually involves colleagues, who should be enforcing the law, turning a blind eye to the 'few bad ones', thus undermining their own constables' oath

Mark, Nice, France

My recent dealings with the Met have been disappointing. I witnessed an officer trying to start a fight with a suspect he had already arrested, and when local property was vandalised officers failed to collect cctv tapes despite repeated reminders - properties were subsequently vandalised again.

Toby, London, UK

Whilst the police do an excellent job, too often they waste the public's time, act officiously, and with so many offences geared in their favour following Labour's "Respect" agenda, make any protest and you risk being arrested. Clearly it is the government who needs to learn to respect the public.

Paul, London, UK

Only six negative comments so far?! After all these are only the guys that willingly put themselves in harms way for your protection everyday. Sure there a few bad ones, but don't you get that in every walk of life?

Richard, Nottingham,

Chief Superintendent Johnston also needs to consider that the claims for the Police record on crime is also viewed with suspicion by the public. We all consider that the Police massage these figures by the very means that he states are helping to alienate the public.

Chris, Derby,

The police have no hesitation in offending and committing offences against us. When we seek to repay them in kind however, suddenly it is a different matter altogether.
Time we got genuine value for our money, and not their very real arrogance and greed.
We pay for heroes, we get police.

quinbus flestrin, Hartlepool, UIK

I'm on the point of complaining about an officer in Norfolk police. A flasher frightened my wife, and the officer assigned to us went sick for two weeks and did nothing. We know where the man lives, and yet one month on, she has not even been to the address. All we get is excuses for inaction.

Roger B, Norwich,

The trouble with the police of late is that due to being imposed with arrest targets is that they go round on petty offences to keep up the rate but by doing so allienates relative innocent citzens for minor traffic offenses when they should be after the serious crime such as drug related,bad result

Dave Farmer, Broxbourne, England

The police come form soceity - Soceity is broken- what do we expect.

jon, abu dhabi ex UK, uae

I notice that Kent Police have taken to swaggering about in black paramilitary uniforms and driving around in luxury BMW 4x4 cars while complaining of budget shortages. Hardly surprising that people are alienated and find them intimidating.

John, Maidstone, Kent

Here's a statistic for those who insist on quoting them:

90% of what the Police do has no tangible benefit for the public at large. Most of the day they are merely tax collectors.

Pu Li, Guangxi, PRC