Star comment: Big police presence is reassuring

Armed police with machine guns patrolling bus and train stations across the Black Country and Staffordshire is a sight that no-one wants to see under usual circumstances.

But following the sickening terror attack in Manchester earlier this week the situation in Britain is anything but normal.

The Prime Minister has increased the UK’s terror threat to ‘critical’ – the highest level for a decade – meaning that an attack could be imminent.

With that in mind, many will see armed police as a reassuring presence in these troubling times.

In the wake of Monday night’s attack, the response of the authorities across this region has been swift and commendable. Rank and file police officers have worked longer shifts. Rarely can there have been a greater police presence on our streets.

And there is also a feeling that a stronger bond has been formed between the police and the general public.

It harks back to the age-old debate about bobbies on the beat – an issue we have dealt with on many occasions on the pages of this newspaper.

Many people are understandably concerned at how police budget cuts have led to a reduction in the number of officers on our streets. The generally positive reaction to a more visible police presence proves that law abiding citizens want to see more officers on the beat.

The only people who are against such a scenario appear to be the loony left civil liberties brigade and the criminal fraternity.

You can bet your bottom dollar that street crime will have dropped significantly over the last 48 hours.

Even the most hardened criminals will think twice about breaking the law when they know that uniformed police are only a few steps away.

It is also worth remembering the bravery of those in uniform who may be called upon at a moment’s notice in times of trauma. We salute them.

And with that in mind, it is comforting to see how communities in the region, and indeed across the country, have come together in the wake of the attack.

There are serious questions to be answered by our politicians as to how we tackle the terror threat moving forward.

But for now our mission is to keep calm and carry on. We must not allow terrorists to impinge any more than necessary on our daily lives.