Police are seeking urgent talks with leaders of Rotherham's Muslim community over a boycott of the force.
Rotherham Muslim Community Forum Alliance (RMCFA) announced it would "cut all lines of engagement" with South Yorkshire Police from Monday.
Force Ch Supt Jason Harwin said he was "surprised" that the issues had not been raised before.
Rotherham Muslims are said to have felt "demonised" since the publication of the 2014 Jay report.
The report said 1,400 children suffered sexual exploitation in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013, predominantly by men of Pakistani-heritage.
British Muslim Youth announced the boycott on behalf of RMCFA, saying Islamaphobia was at "unprecedented levels in Rotherham" and Muslims felt "unprotected" by police. [BBC] Read more
