Troubling footage has emerged of a police officer in the UK threatening to arrest a young man on fake charges.

The incident, which occurred April 17 in Accrington, Lancashire, was captured on video and uploaded to social media soon after.

The video begins moments after Lancashire Police stopped to question a group of males with a quad bike and shows an officer threatening to arrest one of the young men on false charges.

“Sit in your car and shut up,” the officer said. “If you want to f***ing step to me and puffing your chest out or something like that, then fine. I’ll lock you up… I’ll make something up… who are they going to believe, me or you?”

The video quickly went viral on social media, forcing Chief Constable Andy Rhodes of Lancashire Police to issue a statement apologising for the officer’s “unacceptable” behaviour and assuring the public that a thorough investigation will be conducted.

“On the afternoon of Friday, 17 April, officers were making their way towards an address to execute a search warrant when they stopped to speak to a group of males with a quad bike,” the statement read.

“The footage shows language and behaviour from one officer which were completely unacceptable and for this, I apologise without reservation. We recognise the impact that this behaviour will have had, both on the young man concerned, and on the hard-earned trust and confidence of the wider public, particularly the comments about making offences up. It only takes one incident like this to under the hard work of so many.

The statement went on to say, “I want to reassure everyone that we are conducting a thorough investigation and I have referred the matter to our Professional Standards Department. We have spoken to the man in the footage and apologised and will be speaking to him again over the coming days to keep him fully informed regarding the actions we are taking.”

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