Interested in advertising with us?

Advertise with us

Subscribe to trusted local news

In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.

  • Subscription costs less than £1 a week with an annual plan.

Already a subscriber? Log in here.

15

Oct 2020

Last Updated: 15/10/2020
Crime
Crime

Police consider 'covid cars' as part of enforcement

by Calvin Robinson

| 15 Oct, 2020
Comment

0

Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire's police, fire and crime commissioner, revealed at a meeting today that police are considering plans to assign specific officers to covid complaints.

police-on-the-strayresized

North Yorkshire Police may introduce “covid cars” to respond to complaints about breaches of coronavirus rules.

Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire police, fire and crime commissioner, said today the move was being considered after her office received £291,897 from the government last week for covid enforcement.

The proposal would see police officers assigned specifically to respond to complaints from the public, such as licenced premises breaking coronavirus restrictions.

Ms Mulligan told a meeting of the police, fire and crime panel that other plans being considered included greater use of overtime and additional patrols in covid hot spots.



Read more:






The force will submit final proposals to the Home Office as part of the funding allocation.

Mrs Mulligan said covid cars would respond to calls from members of the public around covid concerns, particularly about licensing regime and problem premises.



She said:

"For example, where residents have concerns about the way that they are behaving. Cars can be deployed to those sorts of things.
“It is a discreet amount of funding for a specific purposes. It isn’t additional funding for the force to cope with the whole of covid.”


It comes as Superintendent Mike Walker, gold commander for police response to covid, said the force had seen demand return to pre-covid levels.

North Yorkshire Police has issued the highest amount of fines for breaches of coronavirus rules. But the force has not handed out any fines for face masks or breaches of the rule of six,

Under coronavirus legislation, police have the power to issue £60 fixed penalty notices to anyone breaching restrictions. The sum is reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days.

Superintendent Walker told North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum yesterday:

“What is important to remember is, as I have said before, the demand for normal police services has returned to pre-lockdown levels.
“Previously when we were in full lockdown, we had much more resources to be out and reassuring the public and enforcing the health protection regulations.
“With demand going back to what it is now, clearly we have to risk assess every report that comes in whether it is normal police demand or if it is covid related demand.”