A senior police officer has slammed colleagues who painted their nails and wore high heels as part of a PR campaign as an 'embarrassment'.

Deputy Chief Constable Simon Chesterman said the issues the officers were highlighting were "serious and real" - but suggested the social media stunts were inappropriate.

Earlier this week, Avon and Somerset Police posted images of officers posing with blue nails on Facebook to mark 'Anti-Slavery Day'.

And yesterday officers from South Wales Police were pictured wearing colourful high heels while out on patrol in Cardiff for the 'Walk a Mile in Her Shoes' campaign.

It aimed to raise awareness of women who suffer domestic violence.

(
Image:
Avon and Somerset Police)

The pictures have divided opinion, with some members of the public supporting the campaigns, while others were left unimpressed.

James Lees wrote: "How about you nail your crime figures down instead of p***ing about painting nails?"

Nadeem Ahmad added: "Instead of wasting your time and our money painting your nails and browsing twitter for anything that hurts your feelings, maybe go after actual dangerous violent criminals?"

And last night DCC Chesterman waded into the debate, tweeting: "The issues are serious and real, but this is an embarrassment."

He added a 'thumbs down' emoji.

The senior officer, who is Britain's lead for armed policing, sparked a fierce exchange involving both current and former police officers about the merits of the PR campaigns.

PC Mark Walsh from Hampshire Police tweeted in reply: "Retirement looming?"

ACC Rich Lewis from South Wales Police added: "It was done in good faith & ii support the officers involved. It was received well locally and by our partners, thats what matters to me."

Former Metropolitan Police officer Peter Kirkham added: "Hmmm! No problem with getting involved... But in uniform??? There is such a thing as the dignity of the uniform..."

Norman Brennan, another former officer, agreed: "As someone who represents Policing my view is get on with 'Policing' these stunts are a distraction and quite frankly Embarassing! [sic] Stop it!"

"Yes. An extremely credible Senior Officer saying it as it is. I feel embarrassed for the service having just retired. Smell the coffee!" added another former cop.

It comes as a number of police forces say they are struggling in the face of Tory budget cuts.

The total number of officers in England Wales has fallen by around 19,000 since 2010.

Last week an officer from Devon and Cornwall Police said there are no frontline officers available to go to incidents in the entire county of Cornwall - an area of 3,500km2.

Sgt Mark Cooper compared the desperate situation to the one facing the cash-strapped NHS .