KEITH SHARP, of Dawlish, writes: What right do the police have to deny criminals the use of the roads (November 24)? They have as much right to use the roads as anybody else. What should be of more concern to those worried about the erosion of civil liberties is the power of the police to stop them. It would appear from DC Pybus' remarks that many of those caught by the police using their new toy – the ANPR camera – have not been convicted of any crime. While it is true that the driver of an untaxed vehicle is breaking the law, this is strictly an excise offence. The real criminals going about their business are not so daft as to use untaxed, uninsured vehicles that have not passed their MoT test. It is clear, therefore, that the police are once again being used simply to collect revenue, not catch the 'dangerous' paedophiles and terrorists about whom Chief Insp Moore is so worried. I would, incidentally, like to know what makes a paedophile dangerous. Could it be the dangerous decline in the circulation of certain tabloid newspapers? There are not many things about which I agree with Michael Howard, the former tory leader and himself an erstwhile special constable. But on police matters, I do. In his election manifesto Mr Howard reminded the police – who are no more than citizens in uniform – that they work for us, not the other way about. The ever-increasing powers ceded by the present government are far more dangerous than a few paedophiles and must be reversed before we find ourselves in a fully-fledged police state. Otherwise the charitable patrons of the Exeter Inn, Ashburton, will have something more on their plates than the mere disruption, on police orders, of their race night.
