Theresa May is presiding over the final dismantling of what was the most professionalised and highly trained police force in the world (Comment, 31 January). I know because I worked with the Home Office and the service for many years to accomplish what became the envy of the world. It was being dismantled long before May took office ? Blunkett started the rot ? but May has the ultimate kibosh. Police training once had recruits interacting with communities in active learning, critically reflecting on policing practices, learning how to distance themselves from the "canteen culture" ? moving between the beat and training college to bring the theory and the practice into constructive collision.

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