POLICE TO CRACK DOWN:
POLICE FORCES across Yorkshire have pledged to take action on those who break coronavirus laws after it was revealed hundreds of people were fined for breaches over the festive period.
As North Yorkshire Police revealed 355 Fixed Penalty Notices ( FPN) were given to those who “openly flouted” Covid- 19 rules in December alone, people across the county are being warned of further enforcement.
Members of the public are being warned that they could be stopped by police to explain why they are away from home without a reasonable excuse.
The public should also expect officers to be more inquisitive about why people are out as Covid19 cases surge and hospitals across the county become under further pressure from the pandemic.
West Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Tim Kingsmanhasremindedthepublicthat officers do have additional powers of enforcement, which are there to keep people safe.
He said: “We will continue our approach of engaging, explaining and encouraging compliance, but where there are blatant breaches, which clearly show a disregard for the health and safety of the wider public, we must take action and we will use our powers.
“I am confident that we have the support of the wider public in
doing so, but of course it is your hands.”
Humberside Police has also issued a number of fines relating to coronavirus law breaches and have confirmed officers will be patrolling beauty hotspots to ensure people are not travelling out of their local area. Officers broke up a house party at a flat in Hull where more than 40 people attended on New Year’s Eve.
Assistant Chief Constable Chris Noble said:” We will use enforcement when we need to, and we will be issuing fines to anyone who is responsible for a flagrant breach of the rules.
“Our teams will be patrolling hot spot areas, actively engaging with those who are out and about, and will tackle anyone who is blatantly breaking the regulations or showing disregard for others’ health and safety.
“These officers continue to put themselves in harm’s way in order to keep others safe and we ask that people help us by sticking to the rules.” North Yorkshire Police is again urging people not to travel to the county.
Superintendent Mike Walker, gold lead for the force’s Covid- 19 response, said: “Under these new regulations, if you are outside of your home without a reasonable excuse, or gathering indoors or outdoors with others, the police can take enforcement action against you and you can be fined up to £ 200.
“I would also stress that it is important to stay as close to home as possible.
“To those who do not live locally, who were thinking of making a journey to North Yorkshire to access our open spaces, I would ask you not to. You should stay close to home and exercise in your own area.”
I am confident that we have the support of the wider public. West Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Tim Kingsman.