Policing coronavirus laws is now ‘impossible’

WEST YORKSHIRE Police Federation’s chairman says the coronavirus laws have become “unenforceable” and that the public will have to be relied upon to police itself.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced changes to lockdown regulations which will see rules around outdoor exercise relaxed, garden centres reopen and people being encouraged to return to work if they cannot work from home.

The ‘stay home, save lives’ message was also swapped out for ‘stay alert, control the virus’, while the fine for flouting lockdown regulations has been increased from £60 to £100.

Reacting to the changes set out in the announcement, Federation chairman Brian Booth said: “My members have been set an impossible task. Last time when the Covid restrictions were brought in, we saw the lack of guidance. It took weeks before officers got true guidance showing them how to enforce the difficult rules. We’ve now had a relaxation of those rules and an announcement that the fines will increase, but my colleagues have had no guidance. They will be going out doing their policing duties, struggling to get their head around how they enforce this.

“I think we’ve got to recognise that this is no longer a policing issue. We’ve got to try and keep people safe, we’ve got to try and look after crime and police the streets but you’re asking police officers to do the impossible.”

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