Celeb selfies with police spark backlash as senior figure demands professionalism

Met Police Assistant Commissioner on Just Stop Oil protests SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info The British Transport Police (BTP) are facing criticism after posting selfies of officers with celebrities they see travelling while on duty. One policing figure said that policing ‘is a serious business’, and that the pictures – posted on social media – sent the wrong message. They added that officers’ only concern ‘should be preventing crime and enforcing the criminal law’. When they’re not policing the railways, BTP officers are apparently rubbing shoulders with the stars in train stations across the UK. The BTP argued, however, that the selfies with famous faces ‘increases engagement between us and communities’. In recent months, officers designated to police Britain’s railways have snapped pictures with Olympic diver Tom Daley, comedian Jimmy Carr, and TV presenter Claudia Winkleman. READ MORE: Murder probe as man found dead on station platform after ‘altercation’ Transport police have been seen posing with Mark Labbett – known as The Beast on The Chase READ MORE New Met Police chief may bring fresh officers’ online standards soon Transport police have also been seen posing with Mark Labbett – known as The Beast on The Chase – and Matty Healy, the lead singer of The 1975. However, the star-studded selfies have attracted condemnation from members of the public and the police alike. Reacting to the images, a senior policing figure – who wished to remain anonymous – told the Telegraph: ‘Officers shouldn’t be posing for selfies with celebrities anymore than they should be posing with anyone else. ‘[They] shouldn’t be dancing the macarena, or wearing rainbow silhouettes. Policing is a serious business. Officers designated to police Britain’s railways have snapped pictures with Olympic diver Tom Daley ‘Police need to be scrupulously impartial, at all times be seen to be friendly and approachable, but serious and professional.’ The senior figure believed a lack of professionalism shown by some officers was part of a wider problem among police forces. It comes at a time when Britain’s police have faced issues with the public’s perception of their authority, after a series of high-profile scandals in the Metropolitan Police, the largest force in the UK. The police source added: ‘There are now two schools of thought among chief officers. There are ones taking this very seriously like Steve Watson in Greater Manchester, who say ‘we take this seriously and we are going to do serious policing’. ‘Officers shouldn’t be posing for selfies with celebrities’ READ MORE Police track down man who raped girl, 15, using his oyster card ‘There is also the right-on brigade who, when there’s a viewpoint they think a large amount of the public have sympathy with, they think they should go with public opinion. ‘They shouldn’t do that. They should be preventing crime and enforcing the criminal law.’ There are more than 5,000 BTP staff including around 3,100 officers, policing 10,000 miles of railway and over 3,000 train stations and depots. In 2020/21, the force recorded over 37,000 crimes – down from more than 73,000 the previous year, a trend largely attributed to lower levels of travel during the pandemic. In 2019, half of all sexual offences under their jurisdiction and 91 percent of thefts were unsolved In 2019, data released by the BTP revealed that, at the time, half of all sexual offences under their jurisdiction and 91 percent of thefts were unsolved. Some Britons vented their anger at the selfies posted by the force online, given the number of crimes occurring on Britain’s rail network. Paul Butcher commented: ‘Get back to work! No time for selfies. Just remember who pays your wages.’ Meanwhile, Jane Cook wrote: ‘Just catch the wrong’ns instead of posing for selfies.’ Trending