A head of a police and crime committee spoke out today at officers filmed performing the Macarena at a Pride festival, stressing: ‘They are there to enforce the law, not dance’.
Locals have reacted furiously after multiple posts of duty officers having fun on the festival’s Lincolnshire Police social media accounts, including the video of officers dancing.
Residents have criticized the police’s reporting, asking why officers spent time at the festival rather than fighting crime in the streets.
Their concerns were reinforced by Susan Hall, chair of the Police and Crime Committee at the Greater London Authority.
She told MailOnline: ‘The police at this event were there to enforce the law and protect people, not join in the festivities.
“With so many crime victims being ignored and their cases unsolved, we shouldn’t have had uniformed police doing the Macarena when they should be doing their job.
“The Lincolnshire Police Chief needs to think about his decision to allow and defend this behaviour.”
But top police officer Chris Haward has criticized critics, saying officers were there to make sure everyone had a “safe” Pride.
He added that he “expected” his officers to engage with the community and “join in, even dance” — as long as it doesn’t distract from their duties.
A few hours later, a dispersal order had to be issued after some major fighting in the city.
Susan Hall, Chair of the Police and Crime Committee at the Greater London Authority, told MailOnline: ‘We shouldn’t have had uniformed police doing the Macarena when they should be doing their job’
The video was posted last night showing the agents having fun at the Pride festival
The officers may all be able to stay on time, but many wondered why they were on duty at the festival instead of fighting the real crime
The footage shows dozens of people in colorful clothes, bearing LGBTQ+ flags, enjoying themselves at the festival with loud music playing in the background.
The video shows about 11 people dancing along with the Macarena, four of whom are fully uniformed police officers.
Many others stand to watch the officers.
It appears that the police posted photos and videos online demonstrating their commitment to the community – but their decision backfired after a quick response on social media.
Just two to three hours after the video was shared on social media, police posted another tweet announcing that a dispersal order had been placed in the city center after some major fighting over the past 24 hours.
Many on social media pointed to the dancing officers and wondered why they weren’t fighting crime instead of dancing at the festival.
One social media user said the video made her feel “less safe” on the streets, adding: “I want a police force that takes MVAWG (male violence against women and girls) seriously.”
A second added: ‘What a joke Lincoln Police, please do the job you signed up for, show respect for the uniform you wear.’
A third said, “Fellow Lincoln residents. The next time your house is broken into and you want the police to actually be there, tell the operator there’s a Pride event at your home.”
But some praised the police officers for their involvement in the community. One local said it was a “luminous example of police work” to see such community contact.
Chief Constable Chris Haward released a statement today saying: ‘Lincolnshire police officers are on hand to ensure that everyone in attendance experiences a safe and happy event.
Lincoln Pride is a celebration of inclusiveness and representation within the LGBTQ+ community and as Lincolnshire Police we are here to support them and build trust in our service.
“I expect my officers and staff to interact with people attending Pride; to chat, laugh, join in and even dance where appropriate and without prejudice to their duties.
“Police is not just about enforcement and patrolling, but about involvement, understanding and being part of the community.
“We want everyone who attends Lincoln Pride to know that we are here for them and that our service to the Lincolnshire communities is truly inclusive. We strive to treat every member of the public we serve fairly and impartially.
“Pride is one of the many wonderful community events in the county that we are at for the police, as well as letting people look behind the uniform and see who we are.”
For starters, the police officers were almost the only people dancing to the music in the area
It comes at a time when the police are coming under increasing pressure due to high levels of unsolved crime.
Figures released in June this year show police failed to solve a single burglary in nearly half of the country’s neighborhoods in 2019, figures show.
Of the more than 32,000 communities analyzed, 16,000 — equivalent to 46 percent — closed all their burglary cases in a three-year period without a suspect being charged by the police.
Nearly 2,000 of the neighborhoods — each with about 3,000 residents — registered at least 25 break-ins, but none were resolved.
The armed forces are also being monitored more closely following a spate of scandals over the past 18 months, particularly in London.
The kidnapping, rape and murder of Sarah Everard by an on-duty Metropolitan Police officer, as well as the unlawful police surveillance in her honor, shocked the country, but dozens of cases of crimes against women and girls committed by enlisted officers have since surfaced around the world. UK.
Searches of children have also sparked massive public reaction, especially from ethnic minorities, who have been disproportionately targeted by arrests and house searches.
There are fears that crime rates could rise as the cost of living crisis worsens next year.