I write to congratulate Thames Valley Police on their latest 'new project' - the opening of a police office at Barton, Oxford (Oxford Mail, March 12).

It's brilliant - somewhere for the public to meet the police.

Alas, it is not new.

Before 1968, the Oxford City Police force had police boxes at Underhill Circus, Marston Road, Wood Farm, London Road (2), Cowley Road (2), Horspath Road, Botley Road, Abingdon Road, Iffley Road, Banbury Road, plus Cowley and St Aldate's police stations.

There were also police pillars with direct phone contact to St Aldate's, and police officers were easily seen by their wearing helmets, not bare-headed as today.

If some officers wore helmets, they might look taller.

I wonder what new revolutionary idea is being worked on by some feasibility study, research group or committee at Kidlington headquarters. I bet it's notebooks and pencils . . .

ROGER TUCKER Kingsway Drive Kidlington