Our retreating police

Almost 900 police stations have closed since 1992 according to The Telegraph.

Those that remain are rarely open to the public outside of office hours.

Is it any wonder that crime and disorder has spiralled out of control? Does anyone still believe that the police are doing a good job? Does anyone really think that fewer and more centralised police forces is the answer?

The answers to those questions will depend on who you are. Most ordinary people will say it's no surprise that crime is out of control because the police gave up trying to control crime and disorder long ago and now concentrate on raising revenue by targeting the one remaining section of the population that still respect the law and, therefore the police - the law abiding.

Progressive liberals will tell you it's not spiralling out of control it's just that there is more to nick these days and it's all down to poverty and deprivation.

Most ordinary people will tell you that the police are doing a lousy job, rarely respond to 999 calls, frequently tell people that there is nothing they can do anyway and their main duty is to issue crime numbers for insurance purposes.

Progressive liberals will tell you the police have never been more efficient and effective with forensic investigation bringing new highs to police detection rates.

Most ordinary people will say that what we need are local bobbies with local knowledge who know the local people and are based in the locality.

Progressive liberals will tell you that is inefficient and what we need are massive police centres located in the big cities with big offices, big resources, big computers, big cars and lots of lots of administrators to compile the statistics that demonstrate just how great the big police centres really are.

The ordinary people are in touch with reality - because they see it and have to deal with it everyday. Progressive liberals don't have a clue - but virtually all our politicians, the majority of the media and almost all of the ruling class are progressive liberals. The damage they have wrought on this nation will take decades to put right.

They could start by referring back to Peel's nine principles.