YP Letters: Thin blue line shouldn't be drawn into fracking

NATIONAL police chief Sara Thornton said Government cuts to the police budget over the next three years will severely affect their ability to deal with increasing terrorism (The Yorkshire Post, September 23).

She said “terror attacks place extra demands not just on counter-terrorism officers but the whole policing system, which is already overstretched”.

As someone who has peacefully protested at the Third Energy fracking site at Kirby Misperton, I found that between about 40 and 60 police officers are arriving at the site every day in order to forcibly remove non-violent protesters from in front of the gates to allow company vehicles and equipment through.

Many of these young coppers look distressed at having to manhandle frail and elderly women. Similarly massive policing is also taking place at the Cuadrilla fracking site in Lancashire.

At present there are only two fracking sites in the UK, but many more are likely to be approved soon, with similar consequences.

How can the police continue to be widely misused in this way and still adequately protect all citizens from terrorist and criminal activities?

No wonder chief Thornton is sounding the alarm.