People reminded to go out only when it is necessary
People have been urged to say at home amid warmer weather and during what would have been the school Easter holidays.
Sussex Police’s Deputy Chief Constable Jo Shiner said the force was ‘well resourced’ for a period health experts have said comes at a key time in the nation’s battle against the coronavirus pandemic.
DCC Shiner thanked the ‘vast majority’ of the public who have so far listened to the government’s advice and stayed at home to help take the pressure off the NHS and stop the spread of the virus.
However, she reminded people to only leave their homes if it was for one of the four reasons the government has outlined – exercise, shopping for food, medical needs and to travel to work if they cannot work from home.
She said the weekend before Easter saw officers deal with a number of people who were not obeying the rules or were not exercising ‘within the spirit’.
She added: “One thing that was raised was whether people could take a break on benches. The point is a common-sense one. It’s not about whether or not you can but more about who sat their previously. How do you know the person isn’t Covid-positive? How do you know you’re not making yourself vulnerable, making others vulnerable? It’s not an exact science, which is why we’re asking people to think about whether their actions are likely to exacerbate the spread. We are urging people to consider whether what they’re doing is in line with the government advice.” Sussex Police has recently issued dispersal orders in Eastbourne, Hastings, Seaford and Crawley to prevent large gatherings in ‘hot-spot areas’ and said officers will continue to use these full range of powers where needed. DCC Shiner said there were no plans for road blocks or extra patrols on the key roads into the county, but urged people to make ‘common-sense decisions’ when it came to travel. “Enforcement is the last resort for our officers,” she added. “These are truly unprecedented times for people and we will be explaining to them why it is important they make the right decisions.”
DCC Shiner said some officers had been required to self isolate since the coronavirus outbreak started, but confirmed the force was ‘in a good place’ in terms of staff numbers, adding officers on the front line were being ‘ably assisted’ by special constables and volunteers.
She said: “We remain well-resourced and are still dealing with all types of crime, continuing to police our roads and tackle criminality in the community. Our officers and PCSOs will continue to engage with people and explain what the government guidance is and why it has been put in place. We want to encourage people to do the right thing in following that guidance and only where absolutely necessary will our officers take enforcement action. Our officers are working in a more visible and agile way, patrolling our communities as they would usually do but also being responsive to reports we receive from the public regarding any areas where people may be gathering against the current guidelines. “Above all, it is for people to make the right choices to help save lives and slow down the spread of the virus.”
DCC Shiner said officers were especially concerned for the most vulnerable in our communities, including victims of domestic abuse.
“While we are not seeing a rise in domestic abuse crimes, we are receiving more calls to domestic incidents such as arguing,” she added.“We continue to work with support services to ensure that we are able to respond and support people if they call and need help. People subject to violence or coercion behind closed doors, children vulnerable to online abuse, people vulnerable to exploitation, be in no doubt – we are there for you. Contact us and we will be there.” Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said: “In Sussex and other counties, the public have largely made sensible decisions about non-essential travel and avoiding gatherings and public feedback is showing that most of us understand the need to stick to these measures. Police officers will be very visible around the county over the Easter period to gently remind people not to gather or linger in public spaces. If we can all stay at home we can reduce the risk to other people and ourselves and we can avoid putting unnecessary demands on officers.”