Policing priorities

IT’S difficult to argue that the fusillade of criticism aimed at our police leaders in recent weeks hasn’t been richly deserved.

We have listened incredulously to chief constables defend the use of drones to film and shame hill walkers during lockdown.

And we have seen top brass turning a blind eye as rioting anarchists vandalised statues – based on the ludicrous logic that upholding the law might trigger further violence.

This paper has enormous respect for ordinary bobbies, who perform a difficult, perilous job with courage and commitment. But British policing’s upper echelons have become overrun with virtue- signalling, politically correct commanders who sound remarkably like social workers.

Meanwhile, 999 calls reporting suspected sex attacks and robberies go unanswered – eroding already fragile confidence in the police. Little wonder Sir Tom Winsor, the Chief Inspector of Constabulary, today recommends stripping their powers to set police policies and handing them to the Home Secretary.

Perhaps forces should take a leaf from the National Crime Agency, which successfully pulled off the country’s biggest ever bust.

Cracking an almost impenetrable secret global phone network, they kept blood and terror off our streets by arresting hundreds of gangland ‘Mr Bigs’ and seizing vast quantities of dirty cash, guns and drugs.

Of course, chief constables grumble that they can’t cope being starved of resources. But Priti Patel is recruiting an extra 20,000 officers while seeking to protect budgets.

To match her efforts, police chiefs must recalibrate their skewed priorities and fulfil their primary function – fighting real crime and keeping the public safe.