RE Vandals strike at the jewel (Times, March 16) ? this is not meant as a slur on those police officers working the streets but at the organisation itself. I started my police career at Okehampton in 1971. On night duty we had a sergeant and two officers ? one of whom would have been on foot patrol in the town. Additionally there would have been two other officers on duty until 1am ? one at North Tawton and one at Okehampton. There were two double crewed traffic cars based at Okehampton, one on nights and the other on until midnight. The town resident Jim Elson and subsequently Zoe Bradshaw would have been working a late shift at the weekends. If something like the damage in Simmons Park had been allowed to happen then the foot patrol officer would have had the prisoners in the cells ? if they hadn?t they would have been hung out to dry and I would not like to describe the ?discussion? that would have taken place between them and the sergeant, never mind Inspector and Superintendent! Thirty five years later an increase in establishment force-wide of about 1,000 officers and a budget increase beyond belief and have we improved the service to the public? Now you can call me a dinosaur living in the past if you like ? but progress that ain?t! Bill Savage Lilac Cottage Crockernwell
