THE police haven’t had an easy time of things recently.

The revelations about undercover officers ‘spying’ on the family of Stephen Lawrence; Hillsborough; the suggestion that even crime statistics are manipulated; all have contributed to put police forces under intense scrutiny.

In an organisation with a culture as strong as the police, sometimes it takes someone from outside to see things for the way they are, and to change them for the better.

To that extent, the Government’s ‘direct entry’ scheme makes sense. It will allow “people with the right skills” to enter the police directly at senior level – Superintendent or higher.

Potentially, such people could be like a breath of fresh air: bringing new ways of thinking and new skills. That said, we understand why many rankand- file officers oppose the idea.

They do a difficult, highly visible, potentially dangerous job: one which brings them into contact with some very unpleasant people.

They need to know they can rely upon the senior officers who command them. In the past, all police officers started at the bottom, on the beat.

If direct entry is introduced in North Yorkshire, that may no longer be the case. Senior police commanders could, potentially, be people with no policing experience at all.

Rank-and-file officers may find it difficult to place much faith in them. And they, in turn, may find it difficult to earn the trust of those they command.