Do we need a police force?

The case of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman has made me wonder if we need a police force at all.

Here's how the alternative might work. We set up this huge internet-enabled database. The sponsorship would come from the many big companies who would like to be associated with it. People would log in to enter details of crimes committed. The crime would be logged. If it had taken place in the recent past, we could send out an immediate text alert to all mobile phones in the area. Something along the lines of: "Black mountain bike stolen - have you seen anything?" People could then report in to say "Oh yes, I saw one being ridden by so and so." This would also be logged on the computer and be made generally available. Private citizens could then follow up the lead. If they needed to gain entrance to a property they could apply to a magistrate for a warrant, though it is more likely that professionals would engage in this sort of thing. Once the lead had been investigated private citizens would report back and the lead would be marked as closed off.

The thing about the Holly and Jessica case that struck me was how willing the general public were to help and how hopelessly incapable the police were of responding to all the leads generated. This led to huge delays in following up leads. Had the general public been co-opted and organised into a lead-following force then it is quite possible that we would have got to the bottom of this far earlier.