REGARDING the subject of the present Police Authority system, and the proposal to replace it with an elected Police Commissioner, can I share with your readers the following?
I had until recently, never met the chairman of the Durham Police Authority, Peter Thompson.
Twice last week, I attended two community meetings in Durham, one late into the evening, the second the following morning.
At both, Mr Thompson attended, gave his support and spoke to the public on the challenges that are ahead of us all under the Government.
He did so with an eloquence and passion that was a credit to himself and his organisation.
When I spoke to him briefly afterwards, he informed me he had spent the previous day in London, in conference with politicians fighting the North’s corner. Yet he still worked with us beyond 10pm.
I believe Mr Thompson, and other members of the Police Authority, cover between them, the entire county and get through a considerable amount of work.
If the figures quoted are correct, we are getting far more than our money’s worth, believe me.
To replace them with one elected police commissioner is going to be a catastrophic mistake.
Graham Bland, Darlington
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