Not a happy one WHEN I was a young man, my ambition was to be a policeman. I now thank God I was too small, although height seems not a barrier these days.

“The policeman’s life is not a happy one”, as the song goes, and it must be a special type of person who decides to make it his profession, for whatever he does he cannot win.

As a policeman you are expected to take care of any situation that arises, whatever the danger might be. You can be knifed or even shot, and being spat at is just an ordinary daily danger.

You may be required to search for the dead or for dangerous men and women, and for murderers on the run – and even then people are willing to find fault and bring in the Independent Police Complaints Commission. All police officers are blamed for the mistakes of one.

Now our police have to face a complete shake-up by the new Government, they must accept new rules and save money. Any Tom, Dick or Harry if he can get elected to the new post will be able to hire and fire as he wishes. It is really encouraging to the next generation.

Dennis Barton, Woodthorpe, York.