Police will struggle to cope with the extra demands placed on them as tougher Covid-19 restrictions come into force, the Police Federation of England and Wales has warned.

From today (28 Sept), police will be expected to take intelligence-led action against individuals who test positive for the virus and fail to self-isolate. This follows the Government announcement last Thursday which has established a 10pm curfew for bars, pubs and restaurants in England.

Highlighting his concerns, National Chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, John Apter said: “As new restrictions come into effect, policing will be forced to prioritise. With ever growing demand and increasing pressures there will simply not be enough police officers to do everything expected of them.

“There is no magic box of extra officers waiting to be opened, and undoubtedly policing will struggle with this increased demand.

“My colleagues are doing the best they can to keep the public safe from the virus while juggling 999-calls, working longer hours and seeing rest days cancelled. Where they can we need local authorities, the Health and Safety Executive and other major agencies to step up to the plate and lessen the strain on policing.

“The vast majority of people comply with restrictions placed on them. These restrictions affect us all, and to keep each other as safe as possible I hope the public will carry on doing the right thing to protect citizens and minimise the spread of the virus."

Mr Apter also spoke live on BBC News on the matter.