"kill yourself"

A police officer has been praised for her heartfelt response after someone wrote "kill yourself" on her car.

The unnamed Gwent Police officer returned to her personal vehicle, which had been parked outside a police station, to find the message scrawled in dirt on the rear window.

She then taped a letter to the car promising to protect the perpetrator regardless and thanking them for reminding her why she is a police officer.

The force's Bettws Officers @gpbettws Twitter account posted a picture of the vehicle along with the officer's response.

Gwent Police has supported her actions and described the perpetrator's behaviour as unacceptable.

In the tweet, that went viral overnight, the officer also described spotting the message before her children could see it.

She wrote: "Thank you for your message today.

"Unfortunately, do not have any plans to 'kill myself' and apologise if this disappoints you.

"I promise you, I would normally strive to meet the expectations of the public however on this occasion I am unable to fulfil your request.

"However, feel would be rude for me not to reply to you, especially when you went to so much trouble to politely make your point, so I have written you this letter.

"I'm sorry I had to do this so publicly but you didn't leave me your contact details to speak to you in person."

The officer continued: "Firstly, I am going to assume that you identified car as a police officer's personal vehicle due to where it was parked and that your message is motivated by your general dislike of the police force rather than being personally aimed at me.

"So in response to this I would just like to say, I'm sorry that you hate us so much.

"I'm sorry that you feel strongly enough to write that message on my car but I want you know that in spite of this, I will still do whatever I can to protect you and keep you safe and that regardless of your dislike of me and my choice of career, I will never judge you or stereotype you as you have me.

"I will always treat you fairly and with respect.

"I also assume that prior to writing me this message (and using your finger to illustrate how I should 'kill myself' on my car door) you saw the children's car seats in the back of my car.

"I'm saddened that you disliked the police so much that you felt it necessary to still continue to write that message knowing that my children could see it.

"Luckily, I noticed it before they had chance to notice it or be upset by it.

"But again, in spite of that, I want you to know that I will still do everything in my power to make sure that your children, future children, siblings or family members are never put in that situation.

"I want you to know that despite of your hate for me, I will continue to work the gruelling 12 hour shifts that keep me away from my own children just so I can ensure that your family are safe.

"I want you to know that although I appreciate that you were trying to upset me, make me angry or offend me, that unfortunately you have achieved none of this.

"I am too busy worrying about other people to even stop and consider my own thoughts and feelings.

"I am too busy working my butt off to locate a violent offender and providing support to the bruised and scarred victim.

"I'm too busy looking for your neighbour's missing child, investigating the burglary of an elderly man's home and chasing a shoplifter through the city centre to even contemplate how your message might make me feel.

"You are not the first person to hate me. You are not the first person to hurl abuse at me. You won't be the last.

"Fortunately, I don't have time to dwell on these things as I am too busy focusing on keeping you safe.

"So from the bottom my heart, genuinely, thank you.

"Thank you for taking the time to write me the message and remind, me why I get out of bed every day to do this job.

"I want you to know that despite how much you might think you hate me, if you ever need me you can just dial 999. We don't hold grudges.

"Yours sincerely,

"Your friendly local police officer; and someone's mother; sometimes wife; someone's sister; someone's daughter #PoliceArePeopleToo #NoGrudges."

Gwent Police Chief Constable Jeff Farrar added: "Officers face challenges every day in policing their communities.

"In this job we shouldn't have to stand by and see hateful comments like this directed at officers who provide an impartial and inclusive service every day.

"What a reply to see - in my view this firmly establishes why we choose a role in policing and reinforces what is important in delivering that service.

"I am fully supportive of the officer and their response to this thoughtless act."