REGARDING your article (LET, December 11) on the police strippergram scandal, what is not clear to the public is whether the officers involved were suspended because the strippergram party was held at police headquarters or because of the behaviour of the officers concerned.

I assume that the full report of the inquiry was not available to the Press and that a statement of the facts was released to the media at its conclusions.

The average person would then believe that it was because of their behaviour that the officers were suspended.

But who sanctioned the inviting of a strippergram to the headquarters of our county police?

Police Federation chairman Paul Marsh said: "The Lancashire police force is a disciplined organisation and we expect disciplined behaviour from our members." Strong words from Mr Marsh. Does he also feel as strongly about the way DC Mark Shepherd had lied to the inquiry and been found guilty of doing so?

If he does, then I contend that DC Shepherd should also have been asked to resign.

How on earth do you expect the public to have any confidence in our police when an officer is apparently allowed to remain in the service of the Crown after lying to his own officers?

The officers concerned knew full well the standards that are required when they joined the police.

As a result of their behaviour, their families have been put to tremendous stress and it is with them that my sympathies lie.

R MORGAN, St Paul's Street, Clitheroe.

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