Police have hit back at Labour Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott after she attacked officers for knocking dangerous moped criminals off their bikes, accusing them of acting “above the law.”

London’s Metropolitan Police was broadly praised by Londoners last week after releasing footage of a new “tactical contact” method for catching scooter criminals, who often use stolen bikes in street robberies.

The capital has seen an alarming rise in moped offences, with the form of crime thought to be linked to gangs and the capital’s violent and knife-crime wave.

Chief Inspector Jim Corbett: “To mitigate risk to the public & also offenders, we use a range of tactics including tactical contact. There has been a significant reduction in motorcycle & scooter crime with a decrease of 10,974 offences to date this year in comparison to 2017” pic.twitter.com/w1JE86WVkS — Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) November 23, 2018

Detectives said the new technique of tipping thieves onto the ground by driving into their bikes was only used when riders become a danger to the public.

But Ms Abbott, who will be in charge of policing if Labour wins the next election, was unimpressed by the footage, launching an attack on Twitter.

“Knocking people off bikes is potentially very dangerous. It shouldn’t be legal for anyone. Police are not above the law,” she wrote this Tuesday.

Knocking people off bikes is potentially very dangerous. It shouldn’t be legal for anyone. Police are not above the law https://t.co/boptGhJYbB — Diane Abbott (@HackneyAbbott) November 27, 2018

Camden Police replied: “Someone who’s responsible for law-making (or at least debating and ratifying new legislation) should probably realise that using tactical contact to terminate dangerous pursuits is entirely within our lawful power… And our responsibility.”

In response, a member of the public asked the police: “Surely you can terminate a dangerous pursuit by ceasing to pursue?!”

To which the force replied: “There are plenty of instances where a terminated pursuit has later ended up with the suspect vehicle crashing, and causing more injury and damage than if it had been terminated as safely as possible in the circumstances at an opportune moment.”

Someone who’s responsible for law-making (or at least debating and ratifying new legislation) should probably realise that using tactical contact to terminate dangerous pursuits is entirely within our lawful power… And our responsibility. — Camden Police (@MPSCamden) November 27, 2018

Officers from Waltham Forest also replied to Ms Abbott’s tweet, saying: “To mitigate risk to the public & also offenders, we use a range of tactics including tactical contact.

“There has been a significant reduction in motorcycle & scooter crime with a decrease of 10,974 offences to date this year in comparison to 2017.”

Entrepreneur Charlie Mullins OBE blasted: “Your right it is dangerous, it is also dangerous when [these] moped thieves rob people.

“Let’s hope when they get knocked off the Mopeds they never get on them again, Diana abbot you need to get a proper Job.”