On the one hand it is being alleged that policing in Britain is on the brink of collapse because of the savage cuts in public spending being implemented by Chancellor George Osborne.
Even before the cuts, one was always reading stories of officers being unavailable to attend the scene, or even investigate, cases of burglary, theft, muggings and other crimes. Yet the police were able to gather together no fewer than ten officers at short notice to help rescue a stranded seal near St Helens.
Only the other day it took eight armed policemen to deal with a puny ‘socialite’ having a tantrum.