With reference to The Press item of June 9 “Creation of a new national crime agency”. Along with elected police and crime commissioners, this is an attempt to justify yet another tier of bureaucracy job creation and financial waste.

There have been many police specialist departments formed since the first detective branch, CID, was introduced by Scotland Yard in 1842, originally to meet the activities of the Fenian movement (IRA) and meet ever-increasing demands on criminal activity.

These include, for example, murder squad, organised crime squad, foreign currency, cheque and arts and antiques squad, Special Branch, regional crime squad, to mention only a few of the 18 specialist units now employed.

In the name of preventative measures, are we not in danger of putting the cart before the horse considering there has been a steady decline in the numbers of police officers patrolling our streets whose sole purpose is to prevent crime and act as the eyes and ears, so to speak, of the community they serve?

There is no substitute for a Dixon of Dock Green type of policing, but it would appear that we are heading for an FBI situation, or national police force and minor crime, the bedrock of future criminal activity, is ignored by government and courts.

Kenneth Bowker, Vesper Walk, Huntington, York.