Cops must be BANNED from recording so-called ‘non-crime hate incidents’, demand Tories

COPS must be banned from recording so-called “non-crime hate incidents”, the Tories will urge today.

Ministers are under growing pressure to stop police logging “offensive” statements when no crime has been committed.

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Kemi Badenoch said: ‘The public want police on the streets, fighting crime and protecting families, not trawling social media for things someone might find offensive’[/caption]

More than 13,000 are recorded every year, including playground name-calling by a nine-year-old boy and a tweet that resulted in police visiting a woman in her own home.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: “The public want police on the streets, fighting crime and protecting families, not trawling social media for things someone might find offensive.”

The Tories will table an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill today that would make it illegal for cops to retain personal data on people who have not broken the law.

They argue the powers have spiralled out of control and are being used to intimidate innocent people, with incidents still showing up on criminal record checks.

It comes as a Telegraph investigation revealed 14 out of 15 police forces admitted they do no analysis of whether the records help stop crime.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: “Our amendment will stop police forces wasting time on this Orwellian nonsense and get them back to doing the job the public expects — fighting real crime.

“Under the plan, non-crime hate incidents would be banned unless a senior officer signs off that retaining the data could prevent real crime.”

A report last year by His Majesty’s Inspectorate found forces were misusing the powers despite stricter guidance.

But Policing Minister Diana Johnson said: “Instead of introducing unworkable measures which would prevent the police monitoring serious anti-Semitism and other racist incidents they should support the Government’s prioritisation of neighbourhood policing.”

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Cops must be banned from recording so-called “non-crime hate incidents”, the Tories will urge (stock picture)[/caption]