9 September 2020

New COVID Rules To Increase Policing Demand

Officers will face extra demands on their time due to the new Government legislation on social gatherings, Dorset Police Federation has said.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced that from 14 September the number of people allowed to meet socially in England will be reduced from 30 to six, with reasonable exceptions, and that the police will be able to disperse or fine those who break the rules. The fine will start at £100, doubling on each offence up to a maximum of £3,200.

During an interview on BBC Breakfast, Mr Hancock said: “One of the pieces of feedback we had, including from the police, was that we needed the rules to be super simple, so that everybody knows what they are.” He continued: “This will now be rigorously enforced by the police.”

Anna Harvey, Chair of Dorset Police Federation, said: “It is no surprise that we have seen an increase in confirmed COVID cases with the relaxation of restrictions, however this new legislation will again place extra demand on our officers who have been working tirelessly during the pandemic.

“In Dorset we have witnessed an increase in our summer demand that has been extremely challenging. Officers and staff will no doubt do their utmost to support the public; however many of the public are confused about what they can and cannot do, so the Government needs to prioritise a clear public information campaign.”

John Apter, Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, echoed this sentiment: “For policing, these constant changes to legislation are becoming the norm. The pressures on policing have increased significantly over recent months, and this latest change will add to this pressure.

“However the Government needs to play its part. With so many changes in legislation, an effective public information campaign must be a priority – as there’s been so much confusion for the public and many people don’t know exactly what the law says.”