J Ryan and D Stephenson (Letters, February 20) unfairly criticise the police officers who attended the traumatic incident of the drowning lady in the River Adur for "assuming she was already dead and failing to seek a medical opinion".

It should be remembered, at that point, the lady had yet to be rescued and the officers could not safely get to her.

A police officer's primary task is the saving and preservation of life (including his or her own) and all officers are trained to a very high standard in first aid. If the woman had been easily accessible, lying on the river bank, I feel these officers would have done their utmost to revive and resuscitate her.

However, she was floating down the middle of a flowing river and needed to be rescued before any attempt to revive her could be made. Her movements needed to be monitored so the proper rescue agency, which had already been contacted, could easily locate her when its people attended the scene.

As it was, the lady was brought to the shore by two brave men who, because of their diving experience and equipment, felt they could safely rescue her. However, I will never criticise any officers for not putting themselves in a situation where they could become a casualty and thereby cause more problems for a rescue agency, however frustrating and traumatic it is to see another person suffering.

I recall an incident a few years ago when several officers drowned while trying to rescue someone who had got into difficulties trying to rescue his dog, which had fallen through the surface of a frozen pond. My heart goes out to the families and friends of Matthew Shelley for their loss but each situation should be weighed on its own merits.

Last Thursday, in Hove alone (among the 118 calls for assistance from the public), officers were responsible for the pro-active arrests of four burglars, three car thieves and several wanted people. Two stolen cars were recovered and so was a large quantity of property stolen in a number of burglaries. Not bad for a day's work.

-Richard Delacour, Police Sergeant, Hove