AN ARGUS letter writer said that a performance review would root out police officers "who were still constables after 15 or 20 years and just cruising along waiting for their pension".

That, in my opinion, was insulting to those concerned and probably the biggest load of old cobblers I have ever read.

These particular men and women are the backbone of each and every one of the UK's constabularies, people who have vast reservoirs of experience - 'been there, done it, seen it, got the T-shirt' - and without who our police forces would probably finish up as nothing more than uniformed social services.

I consider myself privileged in having had, for many years, a number of really good friends who served the people of Sussex in the ranks that the letter writer referred to and every one of them put the job first, placing people before promotion.

To suggest that they "just cruised along towards their pensions" is totally unacceptable and just plain wrong.

Eric Waters

Lancing