According to a leaked internal document from the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) police have been told to “make fewer arrests” as prisons are full.
Police forces across England and Wales are being urged to stop “non-priority arrests” until prisons have more capacity.
The leaked document seen by The Times says, “any planned operations where large numbers of arrests may take place” should be halted.
This shows how broken the criminal justice system is which comes as some prisoners could be freed some 70 days before they are due to be released as the system is under pressure.
The government said the early release of some prisoners will only be temporary and that “low level offenders” will be allowed out 18 days earlier.
It then emerged that the scheme will be extended to allow some criminals to be freed 70 days before their official release date which comes into effect on Thursday.
Labour has criticised the Conservatives over their “mismanagement” of the criminal justice system which “cannot go on.”
In another letter from the NPCC, chief constables warned that the government’s scheme is causing an “unsustainable operational impact on policing” and a wider risk to the safety of the public.
GB News presenter delivered a blunt three word verdict on X, he wrote, “Britain is broken.”
Labour’s shadow justice secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “It beggars belief that police are being told to sit on their hands and ignore crime because the Conservatives have mismanaged the criminal justice system so badly.
“Rishi Sunak’s rap sheet now reads: the rushed early release of domestic abusers on to our streets, deliberate delays to trials and victims waiting years for justice. The public will be absolutely dumbfounded. This cannot go on.
“Labour is the party of law and order. We will build the new prisons needed and make Britain’s streets safe.”
A Government spokesperson said, “Public safety will always be our first priority. That is why we have backed our police with the officers and resources they need to keep our streets safe and are introducing new laws to lock up the most dangerous offenders for longer while delivering the biggest prison expansion programme in 100-years.
“We continue to see pressure on our jails following the impact of the pandemic and barristers’ strike and have initiated a previously used operational measure to securely transfer prisoners between courts and custody.”
