Police can’t fine those who travel for exercise
POLICE cannot fine people for travelling long distances to exercise, Derbyshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner has said.
Hardyal Dhindsa says while officers can fine people for not sticking to the rules, the distance they have travelled to do this does not have an impact on whether or not they will be fined.
Instead, Mr Dhindsa says his understanding is that police must decide if the reason for someone’s journey is in breach of regulations, not how far they have travelled to get there.
He was speaking the same day two women who had travelled less than eight miles to walk at a Derbyshire beauty spot had their lockdown fines dropped by Derbyshire Constabulary who have come under fire for their approach to policing lockdown.
Under lockdown in England, you are allowed to go out to exercise - with one other person - so long as you stay local. However, there is some debate over what ‘local’ actually means which is causing confusion.
Kit Malthouse, Crime and Policing minister, yesterday said that it is open to interpretation.
The rule itself reads: “Exercise with your household (or support bubble) or one other person, this should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.”
However, the National Police Chiefs Council has said the Covid Regulations themselves, which officers enforce, do not restrict the distance travelled for exercise.
Mr Dhindsa said his understanding was that people could not be fined based just on the distance they travel to go somewhere.
“The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) put out a statement that says distance travelled is not against the regulations, but it’s strongly encouraged that people don’t travel far,” said Mr Dhindsa.
“If they came here for exercise they cannot be fined. If officers believe the reason they came for is legitimate, they cannot be fined.”
Mr Dhindsa said it was right the force apologises if it gets
Distance travel is not against the regulations, but it’s strongly advised against. Stay local Hardyal Dhindsa
We are trying to strike a balance between compliance and public consent
Kit Malthouse
something wrong and defended officers working in “difficult circumstances”.
“We should be big enough to apologise and rescind the notices if that’s the case,” he said.
“I’m really proud of the police officers in Derbyshire, they’re having to do a really difficult job in difficult circumstances.
“We have attractive beauty spots such as the Peak District that people want to go to and local people are concerned - they want to make sure that people don’t spread the virus.
“We are getting a new set of rules and regulations and sometimes it’s hard to apply them. That makes it a difficult job for the police.
“We get hundreds and thousands of calls, it’s no surprise that now and then we get it wrong. If we do, we should be able to be big enough to say we got it wrong and that we will learn to improve.”
Mr Dhindsa added he wanted people to enter the spirit of the lockdown by minimising the amount of travel they did and only leaving the house for essential purposes.
“The majority of residents are supportive of the action taken. The majority of people comply with the police when they give them advice and if people don’t heed it then they will more robustly go to enforcement than in the past.
“They will do it in a balanced and proportionate way.”
He added he felt the Government should be clearer on what the rules mean, something that was backed up by a police federation chief who says officers have been “made scapegoats for poor policy”.
Mr Malthouse, Crime and Policing minister, said officers were hoping the public would recognise what “local” meant.
Speaking to Times Radio, he said: “What we are hoping for is that most people will recognise that local, while it’s open to personal interpretation, does have some implications, i.e can you get there under your own steam?
“We are trying to strike a balance between maintaining compliance with the rules and elements of public consent to what’s happening.
“I think most people would think that was reasonable. Where there are unreasonable people who are breaking that rule, police are intervening.”