I have been informed about the new rank restructuring in the North Yorkshire Special Constabulary. I served in the North Yorkshire Specials stationed at York for about ten years and I left in 1984.

In my days as a serving officer we had to work very hard to rise through the ranks. I achieved the rank of section officer, which is the same as a sergeant in the regular force. The rank structure gave an officer something to work towards and was a good morale booster.

I am saddened to see that it is to be abolished because it will affect a lot of good and dedicated officers who have risen through the ranks and worked very hard to get where they are today.

I fail to see how a person with a mere six years limited service who managed to get to the rank of Force Commandant without going through the ranks and, therefore cannot understand what work is entailed to rise through ranks, can come along and take away the one thing the officers have dedicated years of their lives to.

Fiona Banfield,

Park View,

Cleethorpes, Lincs.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.