Federation Chair says officers will only be involved as a last resort in enforcement of face mask wearing

22 July 2020

Kent Police Federation expects “very few calls” about people refusing to wear face masks in shops and supermarkets, Chair Neil Mennie has said.

Face coverings in retail establisments become mandatory from July 24 and police officers will be able to issue fines of up to £100 for those that do not comply.

Neil told BBC Radio Kent yesterday (21 July) that the responsibility to enforce the new rules must be up to retailers as “it is just not practical for police officers to be out and about, wandering up and down the aisles looking for people that aren’t wearing masks”.

He said: “We are still awaiting full guidance from the National Police Chiefs’ Council, but I fully expect that nothing will change. We will continue with our four ‘e’ strategy - engage, explain, encourage, enforce - which is the approach that we have been using. And I think that is perfectly sensible. And quite rightly, as our national chair has said, we would only expect to be involved as a last resort.

“I really would anticipate that we will be dealing with very few calls to look at this piece of legislation…I think the people of Kent will get this right and follow the guidance and wear their masks.”

Neil added that he would anticipate “only a tiny handful of fines” issued to those that don’t comply as he would expect the general public to “get it right”.

He added: “As usual there may be one or two individuals who put everybody at risk or behave stupidly that we may have to deal with but I don’t anticipate a lot.”