I support a new, purpose-built police station for Harrow with more room for officers, better facilities, and 30 custody suites attached as has been planned with the Borough Commander for Harrow.

I too am dismayed that this may not happen because of the financial mess that has been left. To this effect I am writing to the Mayor of London to see what can be done.

This is needed even more so with the rise in violent crime under Labour - including a doubling of knife and gun crime.

I must however point out that buildings alone are not a solution to the problems we have in policing and criminal justice in this country. We have reached a situation where: 1. Nobody trusts the crime statistics produced by the Home Office. There is evidence that only a fraction of crimes are actually recorded in statistics. 2. A recent report showed that in London as many as 51 per cent of reported crimes are no longer even investigated. 3. Another recent report showed that less than two per cent of crimes result in a guilty conviction. 4. The evidence of limited faith by the public that criminals who are apprehended will be punished sufficiently. 5. People are scared to intervene to deal with even minor antisocial behaviour for fear of being prosecuted while criminals walk free.

All of this leads to disillusionment with many people not even reporting crimes. I have met many victims of crime who say "what is the point?".

People need to again have confidence that the police are acting on behalf of law-abiding people. We need more visible police on the beat, less bureaucracy and form-filling, and a structure that is answerable to the public, not to the Home Secretary.

DR RACHEL JOYCE

Conservative parliamentary candidate, Harrow West via email ..