This is insane

 The government policy of enforcing a 20% cut in policing costs at these times of unrest is insane.

Whilst I can understand that if our debts are going to be paid we all need to accept a reduction in our standard of living, however the unrest that is evident in the country needs a lot a good relaxed policing that treats upset people in a way that helps them come to terms with our predicament.

The minute that the police show signs of being fallible humans reacting to stress will be the time when society frustrations will begin to explode. One of our top requirements if we are to function as a "Big Society" will that excesses are dealt with firmly but sypathetically.

The situation that we had last year with many of our Ulverston police force being required to travel  to hot spots of rioting in our cities will inevitably have led to stress as our police struggled to cope.

If our police are expected to become supermen and women who knuckle down and deliver whatever the demands, then we will have a breakdown in their ability to function. There is a lot of determination amongst the police to do a good job which is being undermined by their working conditions. Sadly their ethos does not allow them to campaign vociferously. Thus our politicians (that's you  Cllr James Airey and MP Woodcock and Farron) need to be well informed about what is happening in order put our views forward effectively. A visit to the 'coal face' would seem to be indicated rather than leave it to stilted public meetings for communication.

Despite reading time and again the statement that I should make my views known, it took me a long time to find the questionaire below

The police questionaire on front line services is here

http://www.cumbria.police.uk/about-us/our-surveys/public-consultation-on-police-front-counter-services

I found it a very biased consultation with great skill needed to put my views across - this leads me to question its reliability as an expression of our real views but rather the kind of 'put up job' the public has come to expect of government 'consulations'. Which is why so few can find the energy to respond.

Writing to our County Councillors and MPs seem to me to be far more effective. With email this is so simple, it's a mistake if we don't.