Police 'too afraid of criticism to solve crimes' says senior officer

The police have become so cautious and fearful of being criticised that they no longer use their own judgement to solve 'genuine' crimes, according to a hard-hitting report by a senior police chief.

The government-commissioned report from Ronnie Flanagan, the Chief Inspector of Constabulary, set out a wide range of proposals Wednesday to cut bureaucracy and improve neighbourhood policing in England and Wales.

In it, Flanagan said there is too much emphasis on recording and investigating minor crimes that the police fail to tackle the major crimes and deliver a good service to the local community.

The police chief urged the government and the criminal justice system to refocus on serious crime and other issues which matter to local communities.

"We risk diverting officers' priorities to recording crimes rather than getting out on the streets solving them and preventing them," he said.

"A more risk-averse society has led to a more risk-averse police service, which will at times over-record and under-deliver for fear of missing something or being vulnerable to criticism," he said