Sir Norman Bettison, West Yorkshire's Chief Constable of Police, has said he rules himself out of the Metropolitan Police vacancy (Courier, October 4).

That is welcome news, as he also says "he has to lead a five-year change programme", the obvious and important question is change from what?

When he took over from the late Chief Constable Cramp-horn in 2006, West Yorkshire Police were recovering from repeated failures to hit their stated targets stretching back to the truly awful year of 2002.

Sir Norman states: "What I think the public want is greater answerability – 'Why didn't you detect my crime?', 'Why aren't you putting more resources into visible patrolling?', 'What are you doing about gangs of youths who hang about outside the local shops every evening?'"

He goes on to say that he is "prepared to do anything that gives the people who pay my wages the answers to such questions".

They are all good questions that do require answers. I would rephrase them a little – just to take the first – Why is it that the detection rate is so low? And add two that we are still repeatedly asking after six long years of KOPIT's existence. Why is it we don't get the police we pay for in Todmorden?

And why is it that when you ring for help the police frequently do not respond in an acceptable time. In our view, question two is answered by question one, but we would be interested to hear his views on the matter.

In that six years we have asked a great number of questions. An important one was: "Will the Chief Constable come to Todmorden to receive a petition from 2,700 residents?"

The answer from the then Chief Constable was no. Eventually, after lots of bluster, he came to Hebden Bridge. I am aware that Sir Norman has visited Todmorden though not to meet any friendly critics in KOPIT.

The central message of Sir Norman's comments were that "the increasing political control of police in the UK could be dangerous" and that despite all three major political parties wishing to make the police more accountable to the public, he sees this apparent consensus as a threat. I hope that if this promised greater accountability is brought in to law he will concede the necessity to obey the law?

My great disagreement with the present tripartite responsibility system – Home Secretary; Police Authority; Chief Constable – is that it fails to answer to the people who pay, residents. It allows all the three parties to blame the others for any failings or gaps in service.

I look forward to Sir Norman's programme of change. I especially look forward to him answering our questions.

Joe Mitchell
Keep Our Police In Todmorden