  The lifetimes of the $2^+_1$, the $2^+_2$ and the $3^-_1$ states of
$^{210}$Po have been measured in the $^{208}$Pb($^{12}$C,$^{10}$Be)$^{210}$Po
transfer reaction by the Doppler-shift attenuation method. The results for the
lifetime of the $2^+_1$ state is about three times shorter than the adopted
value. However, the new value still does not allow for consistent description
of the properties of the yrast $2^+_1$, $4^+_1$, $6^+_1$, and $8^+_1$ states of
$^{210}$Po in the framework of nuclear shell models. The Quasi-particle Phonon
Model (QPM) calculations also cannot overcome this problem thus indicating the
existence of a peculiarity which is neglected in both theoretical approaches.
