UK Police Think Again

Police Chiefs to Warn Forces Against Coronavirus Crackdown 

Claims of 'Police State'

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps admitted there were 'teething problems' but claimed it was simply 'the police trying to work out which is the most effective approach'

Oliver Milne
Mirror

Police forces have been warned about not overreaching their authority while enforcing Britain's coronavirus lockdown.  According to reports in The Guardian, police chiefs are drawing up new guidance for forces to follow after a number of forced publicised that they were punishing people for things which aren't actually against the rules.

But this claim was later denied by the National Police Chiefs Council.  Government sources told the Mirror that guidance issued to all forces would be "made very clear" with clarifications in the coming days.  Transport Secretary Grant Shapps admitted there were “teething problems” but claimed it was simply “the police trying to work out which is the most effective approach”.

It came after former Supreme Court Justice Lord Sumption said that Britain risked turning into a "police state" if forces weren't told the limits of what they could and could not stop people doing.

Among the forces who have been criticised are Derbyshire police – use dye to change the colour of a local beauty spot and posted a video on their social media where they appeared to use a drone to carry out surveillance of people out for a walk.


According to reports in the Guardian the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and College of Policing are rushing through guidance reminding officers of the limits of their powers under the law - including that they are not entitled to tell people what is an essential purchase from a shop or stop them driving to a secluded location to exercise.

They deny that any new guidance is being issued, but Whitehall sources confirmed that forces are being reminded to show restraint and existing guidance is being recirculated.  Martin Hewitt, chairman of the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC), that "persuasion and education to do the right thing is our primary goal", rather than being too quick to impose punishments.

Mr Hewitt has written to police chiefs across forces in England and Wales about the need for greater consistency in applying the emergency powers.  A Government source confirmed the new guidance was being drafted. 

Senior police officers have also stepped into the debate with Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Neil Basu urging officers not to be "overzealous" in their use of the powers.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Basu acknowledged forces were being compelled to use powers he "never imagined a British police officer would be asked to use".

"Everyone in policing is acutely aware that how we police this pandemic will be remembered for many years to come," he said.  "Preserving the trust and confidence of the public by policing by consent is our mantra, and has been since 1829.  There will be a period of readjustment to our new responsibilities, which no police officer ever thought they would have.  Not every police response will be surefooted and some will spark healthy debate. We should not judge too harshly."

But he refused to condemn Derbyshire Police for shaming Peak District walkers using drone footage.

He told Sky News: “It’s policing by consent and we’re asking the police to do a very difficult thing here.  I suppose [the police’s] concern is, to get to those hills, in order to do that, they probably already had to drive somewhere. And the advice is clear - please try to avoid where you can moving around far from home in order to, in your example, walk your dog.”

Mr Shapps said: “Police are doing a difficult job and they’re doing it well and I’m sure there are individual examples where perhaps you look at it and think that’s perhaps a bit further than they should have gone.”

But he added: “I know it’s frustrating and I know it’s very boring but we must get on top of the reproduction rate of this virus.  The danger is people perhaps imagine we are on top of this before we are.  There will be a lot of tough days to come yet and sadly more deaths.”

Lors Sumption had singled out the Derbyshire force in his criticism.

“The behaviour of the Derbyshire police in trying to shame people in using their undoubted right to take exercise in the country and wrecking beauty spots in the fells so people don’t want to go there is frankly disgraceful,” he said.  “This is what a police state is like, it is a state in which a government can issue orders or express preferences with no legal authority and the police will enforce ministers’ wishes."

A spokesperson for the NPCC said: “The vast majority of people are fully complying with the guidance and advice. For the small number who are not we will use enforcement. Given the rapid pace of development forces do not have paperwork specific to the coronavirus regulations.

“Officers are issuing the fines using existing paperwork or statements. All fines issued are legally enforceable and non-payment will result in prosecution.”