Bobbies on the Tweet! Police force records every incident on networking site



It had been intended to make a serious point about how overstretched our police are.

But a chief constable’s decision to give a ‘day-in-the-life’ account of his force’s work via Twitter failed to impress the public.

The force posted details of every incident reported to its officers in 24 hours to demonstrate how much of their time is spent on what he calls ‘social work’ instead of fighting crime.

Police alerts: The incidents ranged from shoplifting to someone setting off an alarm and 'threatening text messages'

Tweet idea: Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police Peter Fahy

But the public were left wondering how, if officers were so overburdened, time could be found to post over 1,000 incidents online.

To make matters worse the stunt, by Greater Manchester Police, the country’s third largest force, was exploited by pranksters posting spoof incidents.

One read: ‘Prank call from City of Manchester stadium [Manchester City’s ground]. Reported missing trophies. Not to be taken seriously.’

Genuine posts ranged from an alleged rape and a man threatening to kill someone to such ‘emergencies’ as a horse refusing to cross a bridge and a woman complaining that someone had shouted ‘You’re gorgeous!’ at her.

In the first 12 hours, police recorded 1,140 incidents which resulted in 217 arrests, with 119 suspects remaining in custody last night. The Twitter feed attracted more than 14,000 followers.

Chief Constable Peter Fahy authorised the world-first ahead of next week’s Government spending cuts that could see him forced to cut 3,100 of his 14,000 staff.

Under suspicion: Two Greater Manchester officers stop a man suspected of anti-social behaviour today.

Tweet 1539: Police officers served a warrant on an address in North Manchester over suspected drug offences

Dealing with the fallout from drugs and alcohol, abusive relationships, teenagers running away from care and people let down by the mental health services represents around two-thirds of their call-outs, he said.

‘If we walk away from that situation and that person walks under a bus, we would face intense scrutiny,’ he said.

‘The politicians don’t understand the social problems we are dealing with day-in day-out. This is not Hercule Poirot or Sherlock Holmes. This is the real work we do.’

Mr Fahy denied the Twitter updates – inputted by two members of the force’s media team – were a ‘gimmick’.

But Emma Boon, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said it shouldn’t be more than a one-off, adding: ‘Resources could be better deployed than having someone Tweeting every call received every day.’

Chief Constable Peter Fahy watches on at the communications control centre as his officers tweeted details of all crimes in a 24 hour period