18 January 2021

Two Dorset Police officers fall sick with Covid-19 days after policing high-profile lockdown rally

Two Dorset Police officers have contracted Covid-19 days after policing a high-profile anti-lockdown rally in Bournemouth.

The affected pair – a male and a female officer who are both Police Constables - are now trying to recover at home, where they and their families are having to self-isolate.

Dorset Police Federation says the sickness suffered by these two officers, following the policing of the protest in Bournemouth on Saturday 9 January, is a stark reminder of the dangers coronavirus poses to frontline officers.

The organisation and the sick officers – both who have less than five years’ service – are calling for police officers to be higher up the vaccination priority list.

One of the officers - who asked not to be named - says the virus has ‘never made him feel so ill’ and that he hasn’t been able to get out of bed, while his wife is unable to work.

His family can’t even leave the house to take their pet dog for a walk.

At the moment the officer, 40, says it’s difficult to ‘see the light of it getting better’ and is worried about who he may have unknowingly passed the virus on to.

The other affected female officer, 34, said: “We’ve all got things we’ve got to get on and do in life, I’ve got a son who should be going to school when I’m at work.

“He’s going to have to keep a distance from me because I don’t want him to get it. He’s had to be tested which wasn’t very nice for him.

“My other half has now got to have time off work as well.

“We’ve been trying to limit who we’re working with, so we’re staying with the same person, but he’s now got it as well, so that’s his family and my family all isolating.

“We’ve not been offered any vaccines, and ultimately we are frontline officers going out there every day to different jobs, seeing different people and we don’t have any protection.”

Her colleague said officers are not asking to jump the vaccine queue ahead of vulnerable groups but that the dangers they are being exposed to every day have a real impact on shifts.

“Police officers shouldn’t be the first in line for the vaccine,” he said, “and we know the risks of our job, but we see vast amounts of people every day.

“If a call comes in, we have to go to it; we can’t say we won’t go to it. And we are putting ourselves, and our families at risk, every single day.

“We don’t know at jobs if the people we are dealing with are taking the same precautions that we are - most of the people we attend to don’t have face masks.

“With myself and my colleague off for the next ten days, our shift is short – so that puts the other officers at risk.

“I’ve never felt as ill as I have. I’m worried about if this will get any worse or when it’s going to end.

“At the moment, I can’t see the light of being better."

The news of this latest round of Covid sickness comes days after another one of their Dorset colleagues spoke out catching Covid-19 days after arresting a suspect in Bournemouth.  

Dorset Police Federation Chair Anna Harvey said: “Police officers can’t ‘distance’ from the public on duty. These are prime examples of why it's so important that officers and frontline staff receive this vaccine as a matter of urgency.

“Obviously it’s difficult to be 100% certain of how our members are catching the virus but dealing with these types of incidents put officers at a heightened risk. What is clear is that our officers are extra risk of contracting Covid-19 whilst providing policing and are taking those risks back home to their families.”

Anna concluded: “The majority of the public have been very supportive to policing and police officers, and we are thankful. I urge the public to abide by the rules, stay at home and protect our police officers and the NHS.”