mlc,
Thanks for the reply, but I didn't doubt you were in the mob; I think you will find I actually questioned your position in the police force. Yes, I do know a great deal more about flying than I will ever know about policing, simply because like the rest of the public in this country, I haven't got a clue what the hell the police do MOST of their time (apart from when you're out nicking motorists of course)
I am a pilot (ex RAF) and I don't sweep the streets.
The thing that confuses me, and I know will confuse the rest of the readers of this forum is this:
You say that you have only 4 officers to 500 square miles. I believe you!
You say you haven't enough officers to tackle crime. I believe you!
You (the police) claim you are undermanned. I believe you!
You claim to be underpaid. I kind of believe you!
I have just one question therefore;
If you are so undermanned, to the extent that you (the police) are constantly bleating on about (and I do still believe you!) how can you justify to me and every other member of the public 'wasting' so many of these valuable officers' time spent nicking speeding motorists ALL THE BLOODY TIME?
There is almost always 2 police-manned speed traps that I know of here in Lincolshire. I have no doubt it's the same in Wilts and in the Midlands. Just tell us how you justify that? If you DO NOT have to meet quotas, why are police officers always available to persecute motorists, but there are never any available to help with our friends above who have and are victims of real crime?
I for one don't believe you can justify it, and its because of that, that you no longer command the respect of the majority of this country's public. I have always respected you guys. I have always been prepared to put myself out to help in any way I can. But not anymore. After you have been burgled 4 or 5 times in a year, and NEVER had a police officer attend to any of them, it does kind of pi$$ you off to see that they are all hiding in the bushes 3 miles down the road leading to a rarther large mushroom base here in Lincs.
You've lost it mate, sorry, but that's it.
Anyway, didn't get to go flying this afternoon - X winds OOL and getting worse!
TSM