Cull a waste of money (From Stroud News and Journal)

Cull a waste of money

A FORMER policeman has hit out at the force for wasting time and money on a controversial badger culling operation.

Tony Dean from Stroud said the police must be spending thousands of pounds on the project which could be better used putting more bobbies on the beat.

He has slammed the police for spending public money on an operation which includes the use of a helicopter at the site of the Gloucestershire badger cull, organised by DEFRA.

"The money would be far better spent putting more police on the beat to prevent crime in our towns and cities," said Mr Dean.

"When did you last see an officer on the beat?

"Crime is rising all the time yet the force says it can't afford any more bobbies.

"As soon as DEFRA moves in to kill badgers, however, there are police everywhere.

"The force helicopter costs a fortune to run but it has been seen hovering over the area for long periods."

Mr Dean, of the Gloucestershire Badger Group was a policeman for 30 years.

He said he believed the culling should not be going on at all, because he does not think there is enough evidence to believe badgers pass on TB to cattle, as DEFRA claim.

"Obviously the police are anxious to prevent activists trying to stop the culling but we have very few activists of that sort in this area," he said.

And he added: "The whole operation is a waste of time, how can they justify it?" Avon and Somerset police said they were aware of the operation and have deployed in the area to protect any breach of the peace.