I READ with interest the campaign by Mark Garnier, the prospective parliamentary Conservative candidate, regarding the 24-hour manning of the front desk at Wyre Forest police stations.

I find the campaign manifestly contradictory. On the one hand, they are campaigning for a reduction in red tape so that police officers can be freed up, yet on the other they want to place officers behind a front desk at times when people will not be coming into a police station.

It throws up nostalgic images of a Dixon of Dock Green era to have constantly manned stations, but it does nothing to fight crime.

If someone wants the police at 3am they will phone them, not run to the nearest police station to summon the help of a noble constable as in years gone by.

So, I hope that it can be reflected that the campaign does not reflect the wishes of all Wyre Forest residents.

Residents should ask themselves: " Would I rather have officers on the streets catching the criminals of the night or sitting twiddling their thumbs behind the counter of a police station on the offchance that someone might pop in?"

To me, the answer is obvious.

DAVID PECK

Winbrook

Bewdley