POLICE forces, and those in authority over us generally, do themselves, and those they purport to support, an enduring disservice when they deny truth and justice.

The tale of the Hillsborough tragedy is a story writ small for the history of people everywhere.

It gives a glimpse into the underlying reason for unresolved global conflicts.

If the humble people of Liverpool had not been able to establish the truth of what had happened on that fateful day, a massive lie would have been written into the history books.

This unjust denial of the essential need of the victims’ loved ones to establish the truth would have bred long-lasting distrust and disrespect for authority and policing in particular. Another narrative would been established, one that would be passed down from generation to generation, that authority is anti-people and cannot be trusted. This would lead to unrest, dissent and more.

When those in authority recognise the veracity of this they will understand that truth and justice denied (or delayed) makes the job of keeping public order much more difficult and is not conducive to the bringing about of harmonious societies.

Geoff Naylor, Colden Common