Letter to the Editor: I’m responding to Gareth James’s The View from the Vaults article entitled Police accountability and common sense (Cambrian News, 8 February) which is naïve nonsense.

Every week your paper carries reports of people appearing before the courts because their driving was impaired by alcohol or the consumption of illegal substances. How does Mr James expect these drivers to be caught without stopping them while they are driving?­

I, personally, would be content for an increase in police patrols as it is an obvious deterrent. Both my wife and I have been driving for over 40 years. During that time we have both been stopped just once each. Perhaps because we drive considerately, within the law in legally compliant vehicles?

Why would we be ‘alienated’ if stopped by the police? It’s the old adage ‘If you’ve done nothing wrong you’ve got nothing to worry about’.

Why shouldn’t a police officer detain a member of the public who ‘smells of drugs’ – possession of cannabis is still illegal isn’t it? Or stop and speak to a criminal? Does Mr James not realise that for every conviction an offender has he has very likely committed 10,20, 30 or more similar offences for which he hasn’t been caught?

I would expect the police to stop a known burglar out and about in the early hours of the morning. Why on earth not?

It goes on – the police shouldn’t stop persons in a ‘high crime/drug usage area? Perhaps Mr James should visit the residents/businesses in these areas and ask their opinion.

I’ll give just two examples of these ‘petty’ police officers going about their duty in a ‘common sense’ way.

The Yorkshire Ripper killed 13 women and attempted to kill a further seven. He was eventually caught by two patrolling officers who weren’t happy with a man and women sitting in a parked car, and followed their own judgement by detaining and searching him. It undoubtedly saved the life of the woman in the car and probably many others in the years that followed.

A few years ago an officer went to a newsagent because a man had stolen a chocolate bar of minimal value. The officer followed his own judgement, arrested this male, who had no convictions and was, I believe, a fireman — and even took this man’s DNA. What about his civil rights? Haven’t the police got more important things to do?

His DNA later matched that of an unknown offender for a violent stranger rape years previously in a different part of the country. That man subsequently pleaded guilty to the rape and was sent to prison.

It is extremely unlikely he would have been caught otherwise.

Mr James is completely wrong.

I’m sure if your paper conducted a survey amongst its own readers, the vast majority of whom would be law abiding, the consensus would be in favour of more police patrols and a more proactive response to the petty, selfish behaviour of the small minority. If I have to be occasionally stopped and spoken to by the police knowing that there is a clamp-down on the irresponsible and the law-breakers that move among us, so be it.

The public would love to see the police have a higher profile and, as with all our institutions, it’s the disgraceful, long-term underfunding of the police that has led to most people’s dissatisfaction with the service they currently provide.

The vast majority of people want the police to do more —not less.

Nick Barnes,

New Quay