Police Federation video showing importance of community officers goes viral - just days after Theresa May warns police to 'stop crying wolf'

Clip has been viewed more than 60,000 times on YouTube

One of the scenarios in the video (Police Federation)

A video demonstrating the importance of community police officers has gone viral, just days after Home Secretary Theresa May told the police forces to “stop crying wolf” over cuts.

The two-minute video, titled ‘You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone’, shows three different scenarios being successfully resolved by on-duty officers - but a fourth ending tragically after the officer disappears at a crucial moment.

Created by the Police Federation, which represents lower ranking officers in the force, the video claims: “What we do every day doesn’t make the headlines,” continuing: “But if we can’t be there then it’s news”.

It claims that 17,000 officers have left the force since 2010 and ends by warning: “We can’t lose any more”.

The video has been viewed more than 60,000 times on YouTube, and follows Ms May’s tough exhortation to the Federation to stop “crying wolf”.

In a speech to the Federation earlier this week Ms May – who is the longest serving Home Secretary in 50 years – told the conference: “You said police officers were demoralised in 2002, 2004 and 2007 and 2012.

“You warned of police officers’ anger in 2002, 2005, and 2008. And you warned that the police and the public were being put in danger in 2001, 2004 and 2007. The truth is that crime fell in each of those years.”

She added: “So, please, for your sake, and for the thousands of police officers who work so hard every day, this crying wolf has to stop.”