SIR – Frank Duffy (Letters, April 5) says there is no place for politics in the criminal justice system. This is also true of the police service itself.
Over the past decades politicians have changed the police service from a law-enforcement and peacekeeping service into one largely engaged in social engineering.
While children and young adults must be made aware of the effects of crime on society, this is not the first role of police, but of social service agencies and the education system.
There is a gang war about to explode in London and all we hear from senior police officers is the need to educate young people. Little is being done to deal with the gangs.
As Mr Duffy says, the police should...