// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
Police should not be scared to wade in to stop wrongdoing, says Badenoch
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch speaking at the Police Federation conference in London
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has criticised punishments for people who intervene to "do the right thing" in a speech at the Police Federation conference.
Telling delegates she was "not scared to wade in", she called for more support for members of the public as well as police officers who step in to stop wrongdoing.
Badenoch also criticised Labour for failing to send a minister to the conference for two years in a row.
The prime minister's official deputy spokeswoman rejected the claims, stating the police have the government's "full backing" and are benefitting from investment. The BBC has contacted the Home Office for comment on ministerial attendance at the police conference.
In a speech at the conference, Badenoch said: "Too often these days, we fail to recognise sacrifice and service.
"Whether it's hounding brave and elderly veterans through the courts, hounding police officers who try to do the right thing, or even ordinary members of the public who step in to help only to find that they're in trouble themselves.
"It's no wonder the people in this country are becoming too scared to wade in, too scared to do the right thing. Well, I am different. I am not scared to wade in, and I am not scared to back the police."
The Conservative leader listed police officers who have been killed in the line of duty, such as PCs Matthew Blades and Tom Clough who died in the Cleveland A66 crash, and PC Andrew Harper, killed investigating a quad bike theft.
She also attacked police being investigated following controversial cases, including the case of 24-year-old Chris Kaba, who was shot by Sgt Matthew Blake in 2022 after he tried to ram his way past police cars.