Lincoln: Police chief defends officers dancing Macarena at Pride event

Police officers who were criticised after being shown on social media dancing at an LGBTQ+ Pride event have been defended by their chief constable.

Video posted online featured officers performing the Macarena at Lincoln's annual Pride celebration on Saturday.

The tweet attracted several negative responses, with some users calling it "embarrassing" and a "disgrace".

But Lincolnshire Chief Constable Chris Haward said the officers' actions did not "detract from their duties".

Posted on Saturday evening, the original tweet from Lincoln Police showed four uniformed officers dancing along to the music.

They were then seen being joined by members of the public also performing the routine.

Some Twitter users complained, suggesting the officers should have been solving crimes.

But Mr Haward said he expected Lincolnshire Police officers "to engage with people attending Pride".

The event was a "celebration of inclusivity and representation within the LGBTQ+ community" and the force was there to offer support and to build confidence, he added.

Officers at other forces have previously been criticised on social media for taking part in earlier events, while uniformed Met Police officers were asked not to join the London march by organisers in July.

"I expect my officers and staff...to chat, laugh, join in, and even dance, where it is appropriate to do so and does not detract from their duties," Mr Haward said.

The chief constable said policing was about "engagement, understanding and being part of the community", as well as enforcement.

"Pride is one of the many wonderful community events in the county we are there to police, but also to allow people to look behind the uniform and see who we are," he said.

Follow BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].