Unmarked Police Cars

Sir,

In your May issue Chief Inspector R. J. Burton, Public Relations Officer for the Thames Valley Police, criticises you for publishing an item (“That Bucks M.G.”), which gave details of an unmarked police car used for catching speeding motorists. He says that those who exceed the speed limits are more likely to kill and maim innocent motorists.

Publishing details of the car could only have one possible effect: to deter those who spot it from exceeding the limits. Had Chief Inspector Burton been consistent he would have written to thank you for promoting the efforts of these safety conscious patrols! The majority of British policemen who do so much, at a personal level, to promote good relations with the public must be annoyed to see their efforts undermined by high speed patrols which, to judge from your article, are prepared to act as agents provocateurs. Probably they will be even more infuriated by an absurdly illogical letter from a “public relations officer” which makes it clear that Thames Valley Police put prosecution of speeders before prevention of injury to “innocent motorists”.

Swansea. M. S. Bailey