Police too busy with social media rows to investigate burglaries

Police are too busy intervening in trivial social media rows than tackling more serious crimes, the new chairman of the Police Federation has claimed.

John Apter, who represents 120,000 rank-and-file officers, said the police feel like they can’t do the job they signed up to do and were being sent out to deal with social media feuds rather than dealing with more serious crimes.

Mr Apter told The Sunday Telegraph: ‘As a police officer on the street there is still that desperation to do the job and very often then can’t because their hands are so tied.

John Apter (pictured) who represents 120,000 rank-and-file officers, said the police feel like they can’t do the job they signed up to do

 ‘Where we get drawn into local disagreements, the argument over the remote control, the dispute in the playground, the row on Facebook, it is frustrating.

‘I certainly think police time can be better spent and it makes a mockery when we are so stretched.

‘You can’t treat society like that and you can’t treat the police as political footballs.

‘We need to have a sensible debate with politicians, with society and with the public about exactly what they want their police to do.’

Officers out on the beat. Mr Apter added: 'Burglary is one of the most intrusive, horrible crimes that a householder can go through

Officers out on the beat. Mr Apter added: ‘Burglary is one of the most intrusive, horrible crimes that a householder can go through

Mr Apter who has served with the Hampshire force for 26 years, added:  ‘Burglary is one of the most intrusive, horrible crimes that a householder can go through.

‘It makes you feel incredibly vulnerable, but people can sometimes wait days for a police response.’

Last week it emerged police in South Yorkshire had asked people to report insults on social media, even if they were not considered a hate crime.

The message put out to advertise a new anti-hate crime drive said: ‘In addition to reporting hate crime, please report non-crime hate incidents, which can include things like offensive or insulting comments, online, in person or in writing. 

‘Hate will not be tolerated in South Yorkshire. Report it and put a stop to it.’

The tweet was seized upon by frustrated Twitter users as the forces in the UK faced huge funding cuts.

Deputy Chief Constable Mark Roberts said the ‘non crime hate incidents’ are recorded by police because they can be useful later.

He said: ‘We record non-crime hate incidents in the same way we record non-crime antisocial behaviour incidents and non-crime domestic abuse incidents, so we can gain a fuller understanding of actions which cause distress to people within our communities.

‘By doing this, we aim to support those affected and prevent this behaviour from escalating into crime. One of the basic principles of British policing is that prevention is more effective than detection.

‘Hate crime affects communities across the UK. 

‘Our recording of non-crime hate incidents is nationally accepted good practice and is the policy adopted by all forces.’

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