IF Devon and Cornwall Chief Constable Stephen Otter has a salary of £140,000 — before perks — then I certainly don't think he is overpaid. Mr Otter has to work at keeping two counties crime free and this by any standards is a very difficult job.

When you think of the vast salaries paid to some chief executives of county and district councils Mr Otter is hardly robbing the taxpayers of their hard-earned cash

If Mr Otter or any of his officers sinks below what the public feels should be high standards then the whole force receives a barrage of complaints. And let's face it some of those complaints are simply nonsensical... but they still have to be looked into, wasting much police time.

As far as Mr Otter getting not much less in his pay packet than Prime Minister Gordon Brown, that is not Mr Otter's fault.

The problem is that we don't pay the PM the right salary for the arduous tasks he has to face on a daily basis. That is what should be addressed, not Mr Otter's pay cheque.

Colin Richey

Lazenby Road, Tiverton