Sir, - Desmond Fennell (March 20th) suggests a Traveller police for Travellers, much as the Indian police in the US. What an excellent idea! This should also be extended at once to other sections of society: refugees and asylum seekers, women, homosexuals and Jews, for example.
The main problem arises when the relevant police act outside the reservation (sorry, halting site, ghetto, etc.) and how each group can be recognised by its police force. I agree that women and, say, African refugees, are readily identifiable but what about Travellers, homosexuals and Jews, who look much like the rest of us? And some of them don't even have their own reservations or homelands.
The answer is to have some distinguishing mark which could be worn on clothing - like a Star of David for Jews - and a uniform for each police force like black and/or brown trenchcoats. On the other hand, it might be easier to concentrate them all in central camps for ease of policing. - Yours, etc.,
David Couper, Tyrrellspass, Co Westmeath.