FEW people would expect the key person with responsibility for overseeing the police across our county to advise people to resist arrest. Yet that is what the Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire thinks women should do who are challenged late at night by an officer.

It demonstrates a staggering lack of understanding of practical policing to make such a recommendation. Much worse, it demonstrates an even more astonishing lack of understanding of where the blame lies for the murder of a young woman.

The public are entitled to expect that the police service will appoint trustworthy people to do the important job of protecting them. They are also entitled to expect that when a public servant shows signs of being unfit to hold office the issues will be properly investigated and rapid action will be taken to root out both the individual officer and any attitudes that foster appalling behaviour.

Instead of doing that Philip Allott, the man who is meant to speak on behalf of the public to North Yorkshire Police, chose to tell Radio York listeners that the victim of a horrible murder should have been more street wise. That is not a mistake that can be brushed aside by making a quick apology.

It indicates a complete inability to understand what needs to be done to focus our police force’s work on protecting women in North Yorkshire. That makes him incapable of doing the job.

There is only one remedy for this. He must resign.

Councillor Andy Brown

Green Party

Cononley