Police yourselves! Shops will have to enforce rules themselves when lockdown is eased to support ‘very nervous’ officers, warns ex-chief constable
- Former police chief said officers would be ‘nervous’ about relaxing lockdown
- Sir Peter Fahy suggested businesses could ‘police’ social distancing themselves
- His remarks come as the UK public appear to be growing restless of lockdown
Sir Peter Fahy (pictured) has warned that police are ‘very nervous’ about relaxing social distancing measures and are counting on businesses to ‘police’ the rules themselves
Police will be ‘very nervous’ about relaxing social distancing measures and will rely upon businesses to ‘police’ the rules themselves as the lockdown is eased, a former Chief Constable said.
Sir Peter Fahy argued that officers ‘do not want to get into the game of having to count how many people are in a house and where they have come from’.
The former Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police told BBC Breakfast today he had heard ‘suggestions’ that gatherings could be limited to 10 people from two households as the Government contemplates easing restrictions.
His remarks come as the British public appear to be growing restless of life under lockdown, with scenes of people heading to public places during April becoming ever more commonplace. Data published on Apple Maps also indicates that the number of people walking and driving plummeted after the lockdown was announced, but has been rising steadily each weekend this month.
As fears of the economic impact of the lockdown intensify, companies that can introduce social distancing are making moves to open their doors.
Sir Peter’s intervention has come at a handy time for police forces across the UK accused by detractors of zealotry and ‘heavy-handedness’.
‘The police do not want to get into the game of having to count how many people are in a house and where they have come from,’ he explained.
Pictured: Homebase in Harrogate opens for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown
‘If there’s things like “do it yourself” warehouses opening, that’s fine, but police don’t want to be called to have to deal with disputes in the queues or anything like that.
‘I think it’s really important as more activities open up, which is really important, that those businesses and organisations in effect police it themselves.’
Asked how police forces will deal with the eventual relaxation of social distancing measures, Sir Fahy said: ‘Policing will be very nervous about this phase. About things like more and more shops opening.’
It comes as councils were praised by Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick for helping to reopen about 340 parks and green spaces over the past week following the decision to extend social distancing measures until at least May 7.
Sir Peter said there had been an ‘incredible level of compliance’ from the public in regard to following guidelines on social distancing.
Pictured: long queues outside B&Q store in Bristol as the UK endures another day of lockdown
Pictured: Homebase in Harrogate opens for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown
However, he added: ‘A lot of forces have seen a big increase in complaints from the public, complaining about neighbours, complaining about what they see as breaches of the regulations. Police have struggled to deal with that.
‘They want to concentrate on the bigger gatherings and making sure that rules are observed in the park, so they remain open for people to exercise.’
Scenes of Britons pouring into public places despite police enforcement of the lockdown have sent alarm bells ringing through Government.
Today, Home Secretary Priti Patel is expected to scold rule-breakers and underscore her warning to remain indoors at the daily No10 coronavirus briefing.
Unseasonably warm weather has caused many Britons to defy ministers’ instructions and head to parks, beaches and shopping centres in their droves.
A steady increase of traffic on the roads has also added to the growing unease in Downing Street that the country is becoming restless.