I AM now retired, but served for 38 years in both the Metropolitan and Avon and Somerset police forces between 1970 and 2008.

When working with officers from other countries there were two things they said they were envious of, that we didn't openly carry firearms and were independent of any political party.

Most people are unaware that serving police officers are not allowed to be politically active - ie belong to a political party.

I now watch from a distance and am dismayed as I see tasers and security clothing being routinely carried.

The government has now eroded police forces’ impartiality further by introducing (often more expensive) police and crime commissioners.

The police authority that superseded the PCC was a group of mainly professional people drawn from society, individuals respected by the majority of the public, some having political affiliations, but no one party had control.

The old system upheld the police stance of being impartial, their only shortcoming perhaps was their lack of communication with the public, but that surely could have been improved.

The respect and confidence that I and my colleagues had built-up with the public over the years appears to be diminishing by the day, because of ideas introduced by individuals who appear to put their own political ambitions first, before the well - being of the public they claim to serve.

Why is it that all the things that we do well and make us 'better' in the eyes of other professionals at home and abroad, do we cast aside?

We should build and improve on the things that we are already good at, but politicians and others seem to want to reinvent the wheel and don't appear to take advice from professionals and those with experience.

Chris Farrell

Robin Way

Chipping Sodbury