The Metropolitan Police has come under fire for publishing "farcical" TikTok videos, including content inspired by the violent video game Grand Theft Auto.
Critics have accused Britain's largest police force of "wasting time and money" on social media content rather than tackling crime.
The Met's official TikTok account, which has amassed more than 166,000 followers, regularly shares videos featuring serving officers.
One recent clip showing a shoplifting suspect's arrest used the same font as Grand Theft Auto and included the hashtag "GTA."
The TikTok account has amassed over 160,000 followers
PA/Met Police
The video has sparked outrage for promoting a game known for its violent content against police.
While some videos cover law enforcement topics, such as what happens to a suspect once they are arrested, others show officers in more casual scenarios - playing basketball, pretending to show off a wedding ring, or asking the public to name their favourite police horse.
One clip with over 10,000 likes features an officer participating in the "ring trend", revealing his police car keys instead of a wedding ring. This prompted comments like "Dude go and arrest [some] pedos instead of making TikToks" from followers.
Another video captioned "Benny-hill style chase" plays comedy music over footage of officers pursuing a criminal on a bicycle.
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The videos were posted on the force's TikTok page
TikTok/@metpoliceuk
A retired Met officer named Dominic told MailOnline: "These videos are embarrassing, it's just ridiculous."
"Old-fashioned policing methods, like going and talking to young people, are still the best method of fighting crime amongst youth," he added.
Many questioned the wisdom of promoting Grand Theft Auto, a game where characters hunt and kill police officers. "Ain't no god damn way the police posted this", one TikTok user commented.
Others suggested the videos "made a farce" of the force when it should be focusing on tackling street crime. The Met defended its approach, saying: "We are reaching millions of young people on TikTok - showing them the amazing work of our officers and offering insights into the world of policing."
A spokesman added this "adds to traditional methods of engagement rather than replacing them" and would help recruit future officers.
However, John O'Connell, chief executive at the TaxPayers' Alliance, criticised the content.
"Taxpayers will raise an eyebrow at the Met's flashy marketing on TikTok," he said.
"While its important that the police have a visible presence on social media, some of the content produced clearly isn't appropriate. They should focus on taking down criminals."
