WE believe that Wiltshire Council should congratulate our Chief Constable Mike Veale and the staff of our police force in co-operating with Channel Four’s reality television programme 999 - What’s Your Emergency? 
We recognise that the programme reflects the many challenging and ‎difficult situations that our front-line police officers face, and we thank them and all our police force’s support staff for their courage, professionalism and dedication in keeping the people of Wiltshire safe and secure.
Why did the Tories at County Hall make such a fuss? Was it because they felt some of the comments made during the programmes pointed out some of Wiltshire Council’s shortcomings? If so, good! 
If a programme like 999 – What’s Your Emergency? does this in the public eye, so much the better. Every organisation can always do better, and should strive to do better all the time. 
This is part of the nature of being human. As John Cleese pointed out in his 1980s management film The Importance Of Mistakes, we need to continually learn from our mistakes. It is only totalitarian governments that don’t and this is why they all eventually fall.
At the Neighbourhood Watch meeting held this weekend in Chippenham all of those who were present and had seen the series responded to a straw poll, that 999 – What’s Your Emergency? was a success and should have been shown. 
The problems shown in the programme are similar to those faced across the country and being informed of what goes on is no bad thing and a good way of informing the public of the challenges our brave police, ambulance and fire personnel have to contend with every day.
We appreciate the passion that Chief Constable Mike Veale showed in his statement to the Police and Crime Panel and we stand right beside him.
DR BRIAN MATHEW 
Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for North Wiltshire & Councillor for Box and Colerne
ROSS HENNING
Councillor for Lowden & Rowden
Members of the Wiltshire Police and Crime Panel