Police must investigate so-called non-crime hate incidents so they do not miss “precursors to violence”, one of the UK’s most senior officers has said.

Chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Gavin Stephens said the rioting over the summer showed that online hate can cause “real damage” in communities if left unchecked.

Speaking to journalists at a major policing conference in Westminster, he said: “Hate left unaddressed, whether that’s propagated online or in person, has real-world consequences.

“And we saw that at its most severe this summer where, left unchecked, hate can have real damage on communities.”

The debate has been renewed over whether police are misapplying guidance around non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs), after Telegraph columnist Allison Pearson was visited by officers from Essex Police over a year-old tweet.

If we miss those precursors to violence, the consequences can be severe

The force has since said officers visited the journalist to set up an interview over an allegation of potential incitement to racial hatred. There is no suggestion of any link to violence.

In September, watchdog His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services found that police are recording and attending too many NCHIs, and not consistently applying national guidance.

Speaking at the same conference, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said officers should adopt “a common sense and consistent approach” to dealing with these issues.

Mr Stephens said: “There is a very legitimate debate and in a way I would describe it as the same debate that we had a few decades ago about what is the role of the state in the family.

“And of course, there didn’t used to be a role for the state in the family but we’ve learned through child abuse scandals over the decades, where we are with domestic abuse, that we need to take a stand on these things.

“And I think we’re right in the middle of that debate in relation to hate and the role of the state.

“The role of policing is to investigate crime and, if an allegation of crime is made, it needs to be properly investigated, and the process needs to take its course.

“And from a policing perspective, one of the things that we’re really, really clear on is that we do not want to miss precursors to violence because we know that if we miss those precursors to violence the consequences can be severe.

“So it’s very important that we have this debate about where the thresholds are, what the law says.

“Of course, if Parliament want a different law, they can change it, but it’s really important that we investigate allegations of crime that are made, that we don’t miss precursors to violence and that we play our role in trying to stem the tide of hatred.”

Chairwoman of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners Emily Spurrell said the public would expect police to investigate allegations of hate crime.

“When you look at hate crime across the country, it’s actually under-reported,” she said.

“We know that there are lots of hate crimes happening that actually people don’t necessarily have the confidence to report yet because they’re not always sure that they’re going to get the right response.

“So from my perspective, as a representative public I would expect the police to investigate every report of hate crime, and obviously they will make that judgment, if it meets the threshold of being a crime then the appropriate process will be followed.”