Police ready to break up parties
Ayrshire’s top cop says his officers “won’t hesistate” to use enforcement powers if large social gatherings take place on his patch.
Chief Superintendent Faroque Hussain, Ayrshire’s Divisional Commander, issued the reminder this week as coronavirus cases continue to rise.
People living in Ayrshire are being urged to follow the latest guidelines on meeting up with friends and families and the so- called ‘ Rule of 6’.
Ch Supt Hussain’s message comes after several local cases were linked to house parties, where the number of people and households mixing have been higher than the guidelines set out by the Scottish Government.
Chief Supt Hussain said: “The majority of people have been complying with the law.
“But we will use the powers we have to disperse parties which breach the regulations and will enforce where necessary.
“Our approach throughout the pandemic has been to engage with the public, explain the legislation and guidance, and encourage compliance, only using enforcement as a last resort.”
He added: “We will continue with that approach, but we will not hesitate to use enforcement action where it is necessary.”
NHS public health chief, Lynne McNiven, added: “We are at a crucial time locally for controlling the spread of COVID- 19.
“If any one of us breaches this guidance, there is a significant risk that we could make our family, friends and other close contacts unwell.”