Police use of coronavirus powers ‘fair and proportionate’: Review

Coronavirus rules have been enforced in a “fair and proportionate way” by Police Scotland, the independent advisory group for the emergency powers has concluded.

A new report examining the policing of the Covid-19 restrictions has found that enforcement of the emergency laws has been low compared with wider officer engagement with the public.

Police Scotland’s approach to “engage, explain, encourage and enforce” has been successful as part of the public health measures during the pandemic, according to John Scott QC, the chairman of the independent advisory group for the temporary coronavirus powers.

Research published ahead of the Scottish Police Authority’s next board meeting shows there were 17,978 enforcements by officers between the start of the first lockdown and the end of June 2021, made up of 17,006 fixed penalty notices and 972 arrests.

The estimated number of interventions by police totalled almost 130,000, according to the study by Professor Susan McVie from Edinburgh University’s law school.

Police also reported 2,221 suspected offences to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) to be charged – with a peak in April and May 2020.

Mr Scott said: “Policing has sought to respond appropriately and proportionately to public reporting of possible breaches and related demand, without ‘taking sides’ as between those who wanted to see more enforcement and the growing numbers during the pandemic who wanted to see less (or no) enforcement.”

Police officers speak to members of the public.