THE writer of the letter entitled 'Police a Joke' (Citizen, August 6), has no conception of police officers or the work they do.

They should have found out before writing in.

Police suffer verbal and physical abuse from the public.

Then there is the frustration they feel over some court cases and court officials.

Many don't have steady personal relationships, due to their job, and suffer loneliness.

The only true thing the writer says is that the government must provide money to the service to provide more officers.

A parent and aunt of police officers

(Name and address supplied)

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.