Why pay for the dog if others have to bark?

The Daily Telegraph reported last week that civilians are being used by the police to investigate serious crimes, including rape and murder. Hundreds of such investigators, who have come from other walks of life, and after minimal training, are being used in all 43 police forces in England Wales.

The newcomers may be very intelligent and quick learners, - many were recruited initially for clerical and reporting work in police stations in order to relieve officers from the administrative burden and allow them out into the community! Some are retired officers, but presumably with new tricks.

According to critics cited by the newspaper, the main reason for all this is to save money. These civilian investigators cost less than a fully trained officer.

So we have community support officers, without full police training and powers, and now "Dad's Army" and civilian investigators, all "on the cheap".

Meanwhile there are fully trained officers spending a large part of their week shuffling papers and filling in reports, often to meet ridiculous targets.

The moral seems clear.