New COVID Laws Increase Pressure On Police

11 September 2020

Essex Police Federation is expecting an increased demand on policing as the Government announces a new ban on social gatherings of more than six people.

The Prime Minister announced that from 14 September the number of people allowed to meet socially in England will be reduced from 30 to six, with reasonable exceptions, and that the police will be able to disperse or fine those who break the rules. The fine will start at £100, doubling on each offence up to a maximum of £3,200.

Laura Heggie, Chair of Essex Police Federation, spoke to BBC Essex about the issue, saying: “The announcement was heard by us at the same time as everyone else and there are still big question marks, as the list of exemptions hasn’t been released.

“I have no doubt the demand on policing will increase as we will receive more calls reporting people that are failing to comply with the rules. As always we will prioritise our response.

“It was inevitable that the Government was going to have to revise the rules, with the number of COVID cases increasing.

“Essex officers are very flexible and adapt to changing situations; it’s in their nature. So we will take on these new rules as we have the many other rules that have been implemented and then changed, and will continue to work with the public to try and ensure that everyone stays as safe and healthy as we can in these unprecedented times.”

Laura said that Essex Police officers would aim to disperse larger groups of people before fines became necessary. She said: “With the confusion this is causing with the public, Essex officers will continue to engage and encourage before they move to enforcement. It is all about communication.”

John Apter, Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: “For policing, these constant changes to legislation are becoming the norm. The pressures on policing have increased significantly over recent months, and this latest change will add to this pressure.”

But John added that the Government must ensure that the public are made aware of the new rules. He said: “The Government needs to play its part. With so many changes in legislation, an effective public information campaign must be a priority – as there’s been so much confusion for the public and many people don’t know exactly what the law says.”