NO SENSE OR NONSENSE

The last decade has seen almost a running feud between government and the police; federation or otherwise.  Notwithstanding the reforms initiated by Tom Winsor Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary  a position he has held since 1 October 2012,  the reduction in police budgets, the scandals of Police and Crime Commissioners and assorted Chief Constables and continuing  doubts over the accuracy of various crime statistics to many people the visible presence of police on the streets is what is required to assure them of public safety.  It has been consistently demonstrated that with reduced personnel police have to be mobile in order to offer rapid response to threats to  person or property.  Thus the ubiquitous moving illuminated Christmas tree AKA a police car in pursuit mode is an all too familiar sight.  Such vehicles cost over £40,000 on average.  With such a capital cost involved one might think that police would make maximum use of such a resource.  One would be mistaken with regard to Police Scotland.  In Dundee it seems a police car has more worth being parked in the city centre as a deterrent to criminal activity.  Placing life size cardboard cut outs of police officers in shopping centres as deterrents to would be miscreants proved to be a false economy as police found out in Essex and Gwent but at least these two dimensional  objects of ridicule could be recycled into something more useful  eg fuel for power stations or for their colleagues` target practice on the shooting range.  But it`s hard to believe the sense in leaving  a £40K police car lying around..........................!!!!!!!  

A full size toy would make more sense.