Police chiefs are told to make fewer arrests and to suspend operations where a ... trends now
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Police have been told to make fewer arrests to save space in overcrowded prisons, it was reported last night.
A leaked memo by the National Police Chiefs' Council has advised Chief Constables to consider putting off 'non-priority arrests' and to suspend operations that would see a 'large number of arrests'.
Sources described non-urgent arrests as cases where operations could be arranged for a later date, such as investigating CCTV footage or forensics.
It comes as British prisons face an overcrowding crisis, triggered by the backlog in court cases, barristers strikes and tougher sentencing laws.
In the last recorded year, the prison population increased by 5,200 as capacity in England and Wales became overstretched.
Police have been urged to arrest fewer people in a bid to ease pressure at overcrowded jails. a leaked memo to cops from the National Police Chiefs' Council has show (file image)
The memo said: 'Consideration is to be given to pausing non-priority arrests and any planned operations where large numbers of arrests may take place to ease the pressure within the criminal justice system.
'Notwithstanding public protection remains a priority and a considered threat, harm and risk assessment is to be completed when considering any pause in police operations.'
Police sources clarified that arrests at large-scale protests or events would not
