WE tend to take our police for granted - until we really need them.

Today, however, we are reminded of just how much we owe to our men and women in blue.

The Area Commander's Commendations amount to a roll of honour of officers who have gone way beyond the call of duty.

Among those recognised this time was a special constable who jumped into a river to save a drowning woman - despite being unable to swim herself.

Others who received commendations included the entire team of detectives who investigated when it was reported the coffin of baby Benjamin Judson had been buried empty; the officers who brought killer Steven Stone to justice; and those who put attempted child abductor Terry Delaney behind bars.

The courage and dedication of all these officers, both men and women, was outstanding.

Their example reminds us all of how much we could lose if, as is feared, the North Yorkshire force's budget were to be cut by £10 million as a result of Government funding proposals.

We launched our Fund Our Force campaign to urge the Government to abandon the cuts - cuts chief constable Grahame Maxwell himself warned would have a "devastating" impact.

Clearly, you share our concern.

Already, more than 1,000 of our readers have signed our petition.

It will be presented to the Home Office today - together with a dossier of Press articles condemning the proposed cuts.

Ministers must listen. Our police have done an excellent job of turning North Yorkshire into one of the lowest crime areas in the country.

We want it to stay that way.