We are lucky, in this city and district, to have police officers who are prepared to put their heads above the parapet and speak out when they feel something needs to be said.

One such officer is Chief Superintendent Alison Rose, divisional commander of Bradford South Police, who is frustrated at having to ‘manage’ an active criminal population – who a few years ago would have been behind bars – without the powers necessary to control them.

So she decided to take her concerns to the top, and pressed Gordon Brown on the issue at a Telegraph & Argus question-and-answer session at the National Media Museum.

The PM looked genuinely concerned by what he was hearing, and well he might.

For this is an experienced officer talking and the situation she describes is totally unacceptable – it will also be, incidentally, one that chimes with many people’s experiences.

And because Mr Brown was short of time, he promised a fuller response to the points she raised.

Obviously, any changes to the law must be based on hard evidence, and not just an individual’s viewpoint, no matter who they are.

But we would guess that the Chief Superintendent, and colleagues at other forces, would have no trouble in supplying the facts to back up such words.

And that being the case, we would expect Mr Brown’s response to promise some action.