IN your article about a policeman sacked for lying that his car had been stolen (May 13), not only to his colleagues but also to the insurance company which actually forked out the value of the vehicle, you quote Det Chief Supt Tim De Meyer as stating “...there can...be no place in the police for those who do not act with integrity. Thankfully, cases such as this are rare...”

This pronouncement struck me as somewhat reminiscent of one of the by then rather senior Dixon of Dock Green’s legendary epilogues in which it was claimed that the episode in question featured the only time he “came across a bent copper”, whom he had previously labelled the lowest form of life crawling on the face of the Earth, or something similar.

Even back then, I waited in vain for Jack Warner to round the programme off the following week with a summary of the tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

Anyway, let us give credit where due, so congratulations to the more than 20 police staff and volunteers who, having gone above and beyond the call of duty, were honoured at the local police area commander Supt Christian Bunt’s commendation ceremony at Oxford Town Hall on May 13.

Let us not forget either other officers who do so without such recognition or all those who, having for whatever reason escaped disciplinary action, let alone criminal prosecution for misconduct, should be in receipt of public brickbats rather than at the very most private rollickings.

DAVID DIMENT
Riverside Court
Oxford