Police officers on Merseyside have been warned they could face disciplinary action for any unprofessional behaviour posted on social media.
Chief Constable Andy Cooke said he does not want anything to distract from the frontline work being done by his force as the region lives under the threat of the coronavirus pandemic.
He said: "Above all else, we are here to support the NHS and keep policing our communities, many of whom would be rightly appalled to see police officers failing to show respect for the uniform they wear."
Mr Cooke's comments came as videos published on TikTok emerged as one of the social media trends of lockdown Britain.
Police officers across the UK have joined the craze by recording footage of them dancing and singing, often in uniform, and sharing it online.
The National Police Chiefs Council has said it does not encourage officers taking part in dancing or rapping TikTok challenges.
Asked about such videos, Mr Cooke told the Mail on Sunday his officers could face misconduct investigations if he became aware of any footage in which their behaviour was deemed particularly unprofessional.
He said: "We have reminded all officers and staff that such behaviour is wholly unprofessional and will not tolerated by the force.
"As a force, Merseyside Police holds clear policies about standards of behaviour, including the inappropriate use of social media, and anything which breaches these standards would be subject to potential disciplinary proceedings.
"This is a challenging time for policing. Above all else, we are here to support the NHS and keep policing our communities, many of whom would be rightly appalled to see police officers failing to show respect for the uniform they wear.
"We simply don’t want anything to detract from the outstanding work our officers and staff are putting in at the moment."
