THE appointment of Chief Sup John Thompson as Blackburn's new police chief (LET, Jund 30) sounds like good news for once.

Let's hope so -- he's echoed everything I've always said: quick hits for a fortnight don't work.

Let's hope he's a new broom. We need local police for areas like Bank Top in Blackburn -- officers who get to know the place and problems inside out.

At the moment, we change community policemen more often than I change my shirt.

Let's hope they give the superintendent the resources to do the job.

SAM SPENCE, Ribblesdale Place, Blackburn.