Proper policing of lockdown now ‘dead in the water’
Adviser controversy has undermined officers’ authority to enforce rules, says former chief constable
THE police will no longer be able to enforce lockdown because the actions of Dominic Cummings have completely undermined their authority with the public, a former Durham chief constable has claimed.
Senior policing figures and frontline officers said they feared people would no longer be willing to adhere to the Government’s guidance, making their job virtually impossible.
Mike Barton, the former chief constable of Durham Police, told The Daily Telegraph: “How on earth are the police supposed to enforce the rules now? What has happened has completely holed the legislation that was introduced to keep people safe below the waterline. It is dead in the water.
“It was already difficult for the police to get right because there were these strident messages coming from the Government. In a few minor cases some forces made a few mistakes, but generally the public was very receptive to the message. That has now gone.
“What is clear is that Dominic Cummings brought coronavirus to Durham. When he came the infection rate was low and now it is one of the highest in the country. I am not saying he infected anyone else but people travelling to Durham from elsewhere have brought the virus with them.”
Brian Booth, of West Yorkshire Police Federation, said: “The vast majority of the public has abided by the rules for the greater good. For many, it has come at great personal sacrifice.
“But when they see a senior government aide appearing to breach the lockdown, what are they supposed to think? It really does undermine what we are trying to achieve.”
Relations between the police and Downing Street have been further undermined by a row over the Durham force’s handling of the situation.
Despite initial denials from No 10 that the police had spoken to anyone in the Cummings family, it has now emerged that officers actually spoke to his father twice. On Friday, Durham Police issued a statement, which did not name Mr Cummings but confirmed that officers had been made aware of reports that a person had travelled from London to Durham.
The statement said: “Officers made contact with the owners of that address [in Durham] who confirmed that the individual in question was present and was self-isolating in part of the house.
“Officers explained the guidelines around self-isolation and reiterated the appropriate advice around essential travel.”
But, the next morning, No10 directly contradicted that statement when a spokesman said: “At no stage was he [Mr Cummings] or his family spoken to about this matter, as is being reported.”
The statement from No 10 was said to have caused genuine anger among senior officers at Durham. A short time later, the force issued a second statement that identified Mr Cummings. It said: “On Tuesday March 31, our officers were made aware that Dominic
Cummings had travelled from London to Durham and was present at an address in the city. At the request of Mr Cummings’ father, an officer made contact the following morning by telephone. During that conversation, Mr Cummings’ father confirmed that his son had travelled with his family from London to the North East and was selfisolating in part of the property.”
It is understood that it was in fact Mr Cummings’ father who had contacted the police to alert them of his presence in the area and discuss any necessary security arrangements. Officers reminded him that his son’s journey was in breach of the rules.
The Daily Telegraph can now reveal that Durham Police spoke to Mr Cummings senior for a second time earlier this month, after a journalist contacted the force alerting them to allegations that his son was once again in the area.
A source said: “Officers spoke to Mr Cummings senior to check if there was any truth in claims that his son was staying with him again, and they were reassured it was not the case.”
‘When people see a senior government aide appearing to breach lockdown, what are they supposed to think?’