Reform UK's newly appointed police and crime adviser has launched a scathing attack on law enforcement priorities, condemning the focus on social media arrests whilst serious offences remain uninvestigated.

Colin Sutton, the former detective chief inspector who famously led investigations into serial killer Levi Bellfield and 'Night Stalker' rapist Delroy Grant, questioned current policing approaches during a GB News appearance.

"Why are we sending six journalists around to arrest a journalist for a tweet?" he asked. "When somebody living down the same street who has had their bike stolen or shed broken into, they can't get a police officer to come out for love nor money?"

The 64-year-old detective joined Nigel Farage's party to develop their ambitious pledge to reduce crime by fifty per cent within five years.

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Speaking on GB News, Sutton argued that public confidence in law enforcement has been severely eroded, with citizens becoming increasingly reluctant to report offences.

"If you get people used to the idea of, 'it's not worth reporting crime', they won't do it," he warned. "We may have desensitised people to crime."

The former Metropolitan Police detective accused authorities of misleading the public about crime levels, describing official statistics as "gaslighting" that suggests there's "nothing to see here" despite rising public concern.

He emphasised the disconnect between perceived crime rates and official figures, particularly highlighting the surge in shoplifting incidents.

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"Any kind of trust when it's lost, it's harder to regain. We've lost trust in police and politicians," Sutton stated, calling for immediate action to address what he termed crimes affecting "a noisy minority" taking precedence over everyday offences impacting ordinary citizens.

The veteran investigator, whose high-profile cases inspired the ITV drama Manhunt starring Martin Clunes, outlined sweeping reforms he believes would transform British policing.

His proposals include equipping every frontline officer with a Taser, reopening three hundred closed police stations, and ending police involvement in online disputes.

"Absolute respect to the young men and women who serve their communities and do the job, but do they actually do it because they want to be policing Twitter, or because they want to catch burglars and rapists and robbers?" Sutton questioned.

He suggested removing certain online abuse cases from criminal law entirely, proposing civil remedies instead.

"Don't give them legal aid and see how many feelings are hurt then," he remarked, whilst acknowledging that severe online harassment could cause genuine psychological harm.

Sutton identified engagement as the crucial first step towards restoring public confidence in policing, emphasising that trust once lost proves exceptionally difficult to rebuild.

The former detective's appointment forms part of Reform UK's broader strategy to recruit thirty thousand additional officers and ensure every reported crime receives investigation.

Party leader Nigel Farage praised his new adviser, declaring: "Colin Sutton will be a huge asset to Reform UK."

Sutton, who joined Reform when Farage resumed leadership before last year's general election, expressed his motivation for entering politics: "It's not about power, it's not about status or anything like that - it's about actually making a difference."

He suggested that visible police stations with traditional blue lamps would provide reassurance to residents navigating town centres after dark.