Police consider ‘covid cars’ as part of enforcement

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.

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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.

Julia Mulligan, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire

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.”

Harrogate police prioritise cybercrime after 52% increase

Cybercrime, anti-social behaviour, road safety and burglary are the four priority areas for police in the Harrogate district, according to North Yorkshire’s Police, Crime and Fire Commissioner.

The priority areas are revealed in Policing and Crime Annual Report 2019/20, which will be scrutinised by North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel next week.

Cybercrime incidents rose from 131 to 200 in 12 months, representing a 52% increase.

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But the number of road safety, burglary and anti-social behaviour incidents all fell.

Burglary fell by 5%, anti-social behaviour by 8% and road incidents by nearly 20%.

A spokesperson for Julia Mulligan, the police, fire and crime commissioner for North Yorkshire, said the four areas would remain as priorities for police over the next year as set out in the commissioner’s police plan.

North Yorkshire Police faces a reduction in income this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The force has forecast a shortfall of £1.3 million due to loss of income from speed vans, prosecutions and sports events during the crisis.

Michael Porter, chief finance officer at the commissioner’s office, told a meeting of the police, fire and crime panel last month that the public sector faced “significant areas of concern”.

He said:

“I think it would would be no surprise if I were to say that it is challenging times for all public sector organisations and organisations wider than that and some of that will start to play through into some of the financial reports.”

 

Harrogate Borough Council gets £58,000 for covid enforcement

Harrogate Borough Council has been allocated £57,951 today as part of government attempts to enforce coronavirus restrictions.

The government has awarded £60 million to councils and police forces across the country.

North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has been allocated £291,987 as part of the deal.

Councils are expected to use the money for compliance and enforcement, such as recruiting covid marshals, carrying out inspections, issuing fines and closing premises in the case of non-compliance.

Although covid marshals will not have any enforcement powers, government guidance says they should “engage, explain and encourage best practice and national covid secure guidance”.

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Last month, the borough council said it had received no detail on covid marshals so could not plan for how they could be used in the district.

A council spokesman said: “In partnership with the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, the development of any scheme is still under review.”

The government also said the funding would allow police to increase patrols in town centres and ensure that people are complying with the new restrictions, particularly in high-risk areas.

Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said more clarity was needed on the guidance before plans could be put in place.

She said:

““With an area as large and diverse as North Yorkshire and York, it is likely what’s needed in one place will be very different to another so it’s important we get that right.

“We now have some information from government, but we await more clarity so we can progress the plans.”

Robert Jenrick, local government secretary, said:

“Councils play a crucial role in protecting people’s safety, supporting businesses and helping the public to better understand the guidance. This new funding will ensure they can step this up further and continue to act proactively.”

Officials at North Yorkshire’s Local Resilience Forum, which is a partnership of public agencies that responds to emergencies, has warned that the county faced a “tipping point” amid increased infections.

In Harrogate, the weekly case rate stands at 97.6 per 100,000 people and the district saw a further 24 coronavirus cases confirmed yesterday.

The highest rate in the county is in Craven at 136.5. Local resilience forum officials expect the district to be added to the government’s coronavirus watchlist this week.