Every day we read in the Press, see on the television or hear from friends about the lack of response to our calls for assistance from the police.

How much longer do we have to tolerate this? It's time we had a police authority and chief constable that are accountable to the public.

The police are forever asking for assistance and information from the public but when is the public going to get a service from the police in return? If you report a crime, you can get no response - or only a very belated one. If you make a second call or complain no one has arrived, you might get one of two replies, "We have no one to send" or "We respond according to our

priorities."

This is not good enough. Our council tax is to be increased by 20 per cent, predicted by East Sussex County Council, which includes a higher demand for police services - for what? Perhaps someone ought to take the police to court for obtaining money by deception.

It seems to me they can pick and choose the response they give so perhaps members of the public could choose to whom we give our council tax - or refuse.

-David Crouch, (an embarrassed ex-police officer), Lower Willingdon, Eastbourne