25 June 2020

Officers 'Doing Best They Can' In Bournemouth Pandemonium

Police officers have been dealing with drunkenness, fights and having to locate missing children as pandemonium hit Bournemouth beach on the hottest day of the year.

As a 'major incident' was declared in the coastal town, the hard work and tenacity of Dorset Police officers trying to keep the peace and keep people safe in the extreme summer heat has been praised.

Anna Harvey, Chair of Dorset Police Federation, travelled to Bournemouth beach today to check on officers’ welfare and provide them with supplies and water.

As demand soared to match the temperature, Dorset Police Officers were forced to work extended shifts in the searing heat as thousands continued to ignore the warnings to stay away – and flocked to the sandy beaches

Anna said: “People have been locked down for months… and now with the weather and the lockdown being unlocked have been flocking to our fantastic beaches.

“Dorset Police – and our colleagues on the ground – are doing the best they can in these very difficult and extreme circumstances. At 5pm people were still arriving despite the requests to stay away.

“People were asked by the Government to show common sense and at times there has not been much evidence of that being on display. We are still in the middle of a pandemic.

“Our colleagues are doing a fantastic job in very trying and hot conditions – remaining courteous, professional and robust when needs. And let’s spare a thought for them in their full kit in this heat.”

Dorset Police Federation Secretary Ian Roe added: “I would like to recognise how hard our officers are working given the unprecedented demand and weather conditions we are currently seeing.

“As we have seen in the media, the numbers of people flooding to Dorset beaches are significant and this is contributing to a rise in demand across the Force area.

“People should avoid the area – remember we are still in a public health crisis and please think twice before travelling.”