I AM a serving police officer with Merseyside Police with eight years experience working front line policing in uniform.

Merseyside Police introduced centralised custody suites approximately five years ago. With this came many problems which still now are not rectified.

I am writing though to highlight the quote that the spokesperson made: "We will make sure everyone who leaves the centre has an adequate means of transport so they can leave the area and get home and we will consult with the community every step of the way."

After I stopped laughing, I thought: Do these people think that we are stupid or that we just don't care?

Do they think that a car thief, who has been arrested many times for alike offences in the past, when released on Manor Park will wait at the bus stop for a bus, pay for a taxi or even walk home? I don't think so.

Will local police officers, already stretched to the limit, leave what they are doing and take the released prisoners home, a free door-to-door taxi service? I don't think so.

Do they think that a drug user when released, after spending several hours in a cell, and in cold turkey and in need of a fix, won't try and commit a burglary to get some cash?

From experience, once a prisoner is dealt with, if not being kept in custody they are released day or night and the police are no longer responsible for their welfare.

We do not provide a taxi service and generally responsible family members do not collect them.

Why should this custody suite be built in Manor Park? Is it because it is the cheapest option? Let's consult the community every step of the way - but ignore what they say.

Name and address supplied