Public support for policing of the pandemic

29 October 2020

New figures showing that between 90 and 92 per cent of people are happy with how their local police are responding to the pandemic are a vote of confidence in policing, says the chair of Hertfordshire Police Federation.

Geoff Bardell says the newly released Office for National Statistics (ONS) crime figures were a pat on the back for members as they continue to meet the unique challenges of policing the Covid-19 crisis.

Geoff said: “I think these figures are a vote of confidence for how we’ve policed the pandemic. Our members have been under huge pressure to enforce restrictions and to continue to do their day job, but they’ve managed to do that and maintain public support and trust.

“They can take it as a thank-you from the public for how they’ve risen to the challenge of this unprecedented crisis.”

The Crime Survey for England and Wales (TCSEW) figures found that more than two thirds of adults gave police a positive rating for the work they were doing in their local area. Around half said they were doing a good job and one fifth said they were doing an excellent job.

New ONS figures also show that crime dropped by 23 per cent in the Hertfordshire Force area in April, May and June as the country was put into lockdown.

Theft dropped by 76 per cent, robbery by 50 per cent and possession of weapon offences by a quarter.

Drug offences went up by nine per cent as a result of proactive operations, and stalking and harassment was up 26 per cent.

Geoff said: “It’s always pleasing to see crime falling and, while the Covid-19 lockdown clearly had an impact, our members worked tirelessly throughout to meet the unique demands it brought.

“However, crime figures are creeping up towards the pre-lockdown levels, which means our members are as stretched as ever as they continue to enforce coronavirus restrictions, while deterring, preventing and investigating crime.

“It’s been a really challenging time for policing, and it continues to be, but it’s clear that the public are on our side,” Geoff said.

John Apter, the national Federation chair, said: “The 12-month period this survey relates to was prior to and during the Covid lockdown, and it’s already been widely reported that crime fell during this time. Therefore, the results come as no surprise.

“Although crime fell during the pandemic the pressure on the police remained. Policing had to adapt to a situation unlike anything we had experienced before and continues to do so even as the national lockdown was lifted and crime returned to pre-lockdown levels. That pressure has increased with local lockdowns being rolled out and because of the additional challenges they bring to policing.

“It’s so good to see the vast majority of the public have positive views of the way my colleagues have responded to the pandemic. This is despite unfair coverage in certain sections of the media.

“Policing the pandemic has been incredibly challenging, and my colleagues have more than stepped up to do the best they could in the most difficult of circumstances. It’s clear the public have recognised this.

“Policing must retain this positive relationship with the community and work together. With multiple level restrictions coming into place in different parts of the country, the pandemic is certainly not over - and neither are the challenges to policing it has brought.”