SIR – Re your article ‘Thin blue line’ (Worcester News , September 15) which highlighted fears over police service cuts and falling morale.

As a retired police officer and now working for a local authority (PS, under paid, poor pension rights and no pay increase for the past three years, but at least I’ve kept my job), two years ago we went through an amalgamation which, quite frankly, has worked out well.

My concern for the police now is that between West Mercia and Warwickshire Police they have to save £30 million pounds. Okay, we all have to tighten our belts.

Robin Walker , Worcester’s MP, has said to the police [angered by moves to change their pay and conditions] that ‘We are listening to you’ (Worcester News, September 15).

Well, listen to this, Robin, and the other wannabe MPs and candidates to be police commissioners; towards the end of the year we, the public, are going to have to vote for a police commissioner.

My question is: why? It is yet another level of bureaucracy above and beyond the rank of chief constable and the police authority.

Locally, in order to enable the police commissioner to take his/her position, it will cost hundreds of thousands in pounds – and not only in two commissioners’ salaries (West Mercia and Warwickshire), their expenses and extortionate pensions.

Don’t forget, once in position they will endeavour to force their own will on the police service.

Will they listen to local people? I doubt it.

Any changes that have to happen (depending what political party the police commissioners belong to) will cost even more money, not save it.

Now listen again, Robin.

Less than half the population can be bothered to turn out to vote for a general election, even less for a local council election. How many do you think are going to be bothered to turn out to vote for a police commissioner?

P HINE

Worcester