The current crisis in Hong Kong has been exacerbated by distrust towards mainland China. The Hong Kong government is too incompetent to deal with the issue and its underlying causes. But to be fair, expensive housing , declining prospects for the young and deteriorating public services are not unique to Hong Kong, and the reaction to these conditions has been hijacked by relatively small, violent groups. To blame the consequences on the police force is a lazy and fraudulent attempt to make a scapegoat of those in no position to alleviate popular grievances and who are struggling to manage the consequences of the government’s failures (“ Police anger at boiling point over backing for Hong Kong protesters ”, July 17). The government presently is incapable of reaching out to anyone other than a hard core of supporters. Instead, it should be seeking the help of social, religious, community and business leaders to break the cycle of protest and start a community dialogue about the present and future path of Hong Kong. David Hall, Mid-Levels Officers just doing their jobs like the rest of us I am writing in response to your editorial “ Hong Kong police caught between a rock and hard place ” (July 18). Ever since it was announced, the extradition bill has taken a toll on everyone, no matter which side they are on. Police are even being put into a situation where they have to pick sides and end up fighting young protesters. It’s time the police opened their eyes, looked into their actions and understood what they’re truly up against. From the start, the police have been using way too much force than appropriate when dealing with protesters. First, there was excessive use of rubber bullets and tear gas against unarmed protesters. This meant many people, especially the young, were either sent to hospital for treatment or were arrested as rioters for unacceptable reasons. Second, excessive force was used on protesters that were about to leave but failed to do so. The result has been people venting their frustration on the whole police force. Police should not be blamed for all of the chaos. They are being asked to take the fall for those hiding from their responsibilities in air-conditioned rooms. Officers are just trying to do their jobs. I am not condoning their actions but highlighting the stress they are under. They aren’t allowed to express their own opinions but must obey their commanders and act on their orders. So maybe showing some empathy and letting the police know that protesters aren’t the real enemy should be the priority. Cassandra Chan, Lam Tin