We’ve all heard the stories of how things used to be when bobbies walked the streets, when you knew your local constable, and police had a real presence in our communities.

But policing has changed. So too our communities.

Over 14 years of cuts imposed by consecutive Conservative governments in Westminster, funding for our police services has been curtailed, so too the number of front-line officers from 144,000 to 122,000. And despite political promises to restore those numbers, it’s never happened.

So here in Wales, our four police forces are left trying to make do on their police precepts and funding from Cardiff and London. It’s not enough. Nor is enough being done to protect those who don uniforms and step forward to serve and protect us.

Over the past three years in the Dyfed-Powys force alone, some 300 police officers have been assaulted in the line of duty. So when we say communities have changed, this disgusting level of violence aimed at our peace officers verges on near savagery.

Scan the pages and posts of this publication and you’ll read of common assaults being committed against officers on a regular basis as they deal with incidents on our streets. And sadly too, those same reports tell of perpetrators getting away with those assaults with mere slaps on the wrist.

It’s not good enough.

It is the opinion of this publication that anyone who assaults an officer in the execution of their duties needs to face the highest level of assault charges with access to bail denied. If goons and hooligans can’t respect the rule of law by attacking those we charge with upholding it, then they deserve time in custody.

Those who sit on our magistrates’ benches should take their punitive duties responsibly. All too often mental health of substance-abuse issues are cited as excuses for the yobbish behaviour of thugs. That’s a kop out, one that denigrates the respect we hold for the men and women who leave their loved ones and families each day to serve.

But they at least deserve to know that they have our support and trust, and that should they be assaulted, those responsible will feel the full weight of the law .