Officers are “unable to fathom” why whilst they are trying to combat a surge in knife crime money is being spent explaining when someone can shoot wild deer.

The account’s moderators personally reply to almost all the comments, even in cases where the users are “trolling” them.

In one of the most recent posts, the moderator replied with an emoji of a scared face after an account said that they were “living in the walls” of her house.

It is understood that moderators are told to try and respond to every comment to show that the police service is transparent and willing to engage with anyone.

However, officers within the rank and file say that the decision is “embarrassing” and shows that the NPCC is “disconnected” from what is happening on the ground.

Reaching out to young people

A spokesman for the NPCC said: “Speaking to and working with teenagers across the UK is an absolutely vital part of the police’s role to protect people and reduce crime.

“The world is changing and everyone would agree that one of the best ways to speak to young people is through social media. The YourPolice.uk Instagram account has more than 10,000 interactions with teenagers every month and hundreds of these are reports about crimes, concerns or intelligence being shared with police.”

They added: “It is a testament to the efforts of YourPolice.uk that serious crimes against children, that would have likely gone unreported, have now been investigated and young people have received support they otherwise wouldn’t have.

“Officers engage with their local communities in many ways including meetings, coffee mornings and social media. Having this range of ways to speak to police makes the service as accessible as possible for everyone.”