‘Download app to help halt Covid-19’

1 October 2020

Derbyshire Police Federation is encouraging members to use the Track and Trace app to help control the spread of coronavirus.

Officers are asked to download the app on to their personal phones and use it while working.

Derbyshire Police Federation chair Tony Wetton said: “With the number of cases in the UK continuing to rise and more and more local lockdowns being introduced, it’s a stark reminder of the threat Covid-19 still poses.

“It’s down to all of us to take the right action to protect ourselves, our families and colleagues, and the general public and to control the spread of the virus.

“This is where the app can help alongside other really important measures such as hand-washing, not touching your face, social distancing and PPE.”

This comes after the Federation approached the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) on behalf of members following confusion over guidelines from police chiefs advising officers not to download the app on work phones.

The Federation’s support for the app on personal phones came after discussions with the app developers and colleagues from the National Cyber Security Centre.

John Apter, national chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: “The welfare of our members is absolutely paramount, and we view this app as a key part of the public campaign to contain the virus alongside personal protective equipment, distancing and hand hygiene.

“For our colleagues and their families to be as safe as they can be, all these elements need to be used together. It’s, of course, a personal decision if officers now want to download the app. However, we would encourage and urge our 120,000 members to do so for their own safety.”

Find out more about the NHS app.