CITIZEN Smith know's something is amiss when the post bag fills up with readers' letters expressing very strong views on a particular issue.

Without knowing the full facts behind the Warehouse Nightclub raid, what can be ascertained is that many people feel it was very heavy handed and that totally innocent people were treated as criminals merely for being there.

The police have an increasingly tough job to do these days but surely their greatest weapon in the fight against crime is the trust, respect and co-operation of ordinary, reasonable people.

Anything they do that erodes that trust and respect can only make their job even more difficult. It is therefore puzzling to see how deploying dozens of officers in paramilitary style uniforms to wield batons in a small venue filled mostly with totally innocent people can help improve their public relations.

We've had letters protesting against the police tactics from a primary school teacher, a nurse, a local government worker, a local businessmen, a television producer - all intelligent, eloquent, right thinking members of society.

If the police are losing the support of these type of people then something is seriously wrong.

What can be done? Well, co-incidentally, there will be a Police Authority meeting on Tuesday night (June 12, 7pm) at St Martin's College where senior officers will be available to discuss policing in Lancaster with interested members of the public.

Anyone with worries, issues or concerns are invited to attend the public meeting and express their views direct to the people responsible for policing the city.

I'm sure they will be very interested to hear what you have to say.

Rumours are rife of a 'video nasty' circulating in Lancaster.

It arrives on the doorstep, unrequested and with nothing to keep it out of the hands of children who may be distressed by gratuitous scenes of political .

More alarmingly, it features an established star -- the guy who played Baldrick in Blackadder.

The early 'jogging' raises suspicions that it is a well known local politician's secret audition for a part in the next 'Rocky' film but gratuitous scenes of the same man gladhanding pensioners and riding on a bus expose it as a Labour party election film.

The annoying thing is, you can't even tape 'Have I Got News For You' over it -- it's too short.

The pity is, while thousands of people will be exposed to the unchecked propaganda of those parties with the budget to produce shiny posters and videos, few uncommitted voters have made it to the series of entertaining and informative election debates across the area.

It's the best free show in town, a cross between bear-baiting and question time, and a chance to see the candidates listen to your agenda, rather than pushing theirs.

Unfortunately, party activists seem to have outnumbered ordinary punters. Maybe next time?

In recent weeks this paper has told you about the hysterical efforts of the council's new standards committee.

This bunch was set up as judge and jury of councillors whose behaviour falls below what is expected...an interesting concept because what is expected of councillors at Lancaster, historically, isn't an awful lot.

Anyway this committee has managed to run into trouble after just one meeting, which must be some kind of record even for this mob. Here's how it went... they met, were presented with evidence, came to a conclusion and in the process ignored a strong suspicion of bias on behalf of at least one committee member.

They also acted 'illogically', not in the interests of 'natural justice' (a phrase familiar to followers of the Christley fiasco) and guess what? They're decision left them vulnerable to court action - as this columnist has pointed out many times before, put this lot in the real world and they get hammered.

So what does it all mean? Well Carol Broad holds moral highground she may not really deserve while assorted lawyers top up their pensions care of us taxpayers.

However let's put this into perspective... Cllr Broad claimed £8k which, we are led to believe, has been partly repaid. Compare this to the £40,000 David Christley libel settlement or the £70,000 for Civic Illuminations. Where was the standards committee then? Where were the calls for action against members and officers who had exposed the authority to a heavy financial loss? We don't know but we can guess.