Police chiefs have been told to spend less time on ‘diversity’ and concentrate on fighting crime by new Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
In a letter to chief constables, she reprimanded forces for failing to tackle offences such as burglary, car theft, graffiti and drugs.
Her intervention amounted to a call for a ‘back to basics’ approach to policing. It comes after incidents which have seen police criticised for taking up ‘woke’ causes.
Earlier this year, Superintendent James Sutherland wore a rainbow helmet in support of an anti-homophobia campaign in Cambridge.
New Home Secretary Suella Braverman has written a letter to Police chiefs telling them to spend less time on ‘diversity’ and concentrate on tackling crime
Police have also been accused of taking inappropriate political stances, such as ‘taking the knee’ in support of Black Lives Matter protests.
Mrs Braverman wrote: ‘Unfortunately, there is a perception that the police have had to spend too much time on symbolic gestures [rather] than actually fighting criminals. This must change. Initiatives on diversity and inclusion should not take precedence over common sense policing.’
She said the letter was intended to ‘set out my key priorities for the police and our crime-cutting agenda’.
Superintendent James Sutherland with his rainbow helmet. which he wore in support of an anti-homophobia campaign in Cambridge
She stressed: ‘The public have a right to expect that the police get the basics right – driving down anti-social behaviour and neighbourhood crime which can so easily rip through our communities. To put it simply, the public want to know that an officer will visit them after a crime such as burglary.
‘They want to feel safe in their cities, towns and villages. This is not just about doing your day job well, it is also about victims needing to feel supported and not ignored.’
Mrs Braverman added: ‘We also need to see a renewed focus on tackling neighbourhood crime and anti-social behaviour. Drugs, vehicle theft, vandalism and graffiti are not being treated seriously enough.’
She referred to scandals which have damaged policing’s reputation, such as the murder of marketing executive Sarah Everard, 33, by a London officer and racist and homophobic incidents.
Suella Braverman speaking with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley (right) and London Mayor Sadiq Khan (left) last week
The Home Secretary also set out how she wants to increase the number of suspects who are charged with crimes.
Latest official figures show crime soared 14 per cent last year to 12.9million offences in England and Wales, but the number of offenders brought to justice slumped to a record low of just one in 16.
However, Mrs Braverman expressed ‘deep gratitude’ for the police’s work at public events after the Queen’s death and praised ‘brilliant’ efforts against county lines drug gangs.