Arresting name

I HAVE to disagree with Scott Styles (Letters, 20 January) – PSS and SPS are not acronyms: just initial letters.

Acronyms are when such initials make up a word. SPS already stands for Scottish Prison Service and perhaps justice secretary Kenny MacAskill also had an eye to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), where someone took care to avoid the potential acronym of Nips.

Perhaps we could help Mr MacAskill by suggesting suitable titles and acronyms, eg “Constabulary of Police (Scotland)” or Cops.

Alasdair Taylor

Swanston Grove

Edinburgh