Police officer appears to swear at illegal rider
A police officer was videoed allegedly swearing at an illegal biker.
The footage was taken in Birmingham and watched more than 50,000 on social media.
It shows a biker pulling a wheelie past a police van on an unnamed road in the city.
When the van goes by, an officer in the front appears to pull his middle finger up at the passing rider.
Some viewers have questioned if the officer is swearing, or resting his head on hand.
A West Midlands Police spokesman said the force was investigating.
But the force said the real issue was about tackling the 'menace of off-road bikers in our communities'.
Chief Superintendent Dave Sturman said: "There is a huge amount of work going into this issue. Although this isn’t always visible to the public - be reassured we are taking action, and working with our partners to tackle this issue.
“We’ve seen off-road bikers clogging up our roads, intimidating other road users, jumping red lights, speeding and pulling stunts in the street. It’s totally unacceptable and I sympathise with any members of the public that have been inconvenienced by the bikers.
“I would ask members of the public to help us in our battle to target this kind of anti-social behaviour on our roads. If you have images or footage of anti-social riding, have seen the bikes or know where they are kept, I’d ask you to contact us so we can take action."
Chief Constable Dave Thompson said he had some sympathy with complaints that police appeared to be launching investigation into officer's rudeness.
He said on Twitter: "I feel the objective should be to find the thug on the bike not the officer."
Dudley and Sandwell, like Birmingham, have faced problems with illegal bikers in the past year.
On Wednesday, the force, alongside West Midlands Fire Service and Sandwell Council launched a scheme to combat the riders.
It will involve stepping up patrols on and off roads.
