Police chiefs have accused senior politicians of regularly trying to "interfere or influence" their operations in a report commissioned by former home secretary Suella Braverman.
Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke said most senior officers in 12 forces have experienced "improper pressure or interference from significant political figures, whether through direct contact or through the media".
The 12 forces, in England and Wales, were visited as part of a review of activism and impartiality in the police ordered by previous home secretary Suella Braverman, in what was cast as a war on "woke" policing.
The ordering of the review itself was given as an example of such political interference.
Mr Cooke said in a response to current home secretary James Cleverly: "One of the most consistent themes in the evidence we have obtained so far is the extent to which senior national political figures directly or indirectly influence, or attempt to influence, police operations.
"Senior police leaders told us that when this takes place in public, it makes it harder to maintain an appearance of impartiality.
"Most senior officers told us that they experience what they believe to be improper pressure or interference from significant political figures, whether through direct contact or through the media."
He added: "Many cited this commission and the associated correspondence as one example of this."
"In one example, we were told of an MP implying that a more senior political figure would become involved if a particular action was not taken."
He said many officers have come to believe that operational activities on matters like protest policing and stop and search operations "are directly or indirectly influenced by the views of the police and crime commissioner or mayor, or senior figures in government".
A row broke out last year over the influence of politicians on the police after Braverman and Rishi Sunak were involved in a stand-off with Britain's most senior officer Sir Mark Crowley over whether to ban pro-Palestinian protests in London on Remembrance weekend.
