The chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales says police officers won’t be issued tape measures as the coronavirus crisis becomes ‘almost impossible’ to police.
Boris Johnson’s address to the nation left the public, and police forces confused, about what people can and can’t do. The relaxed rules can be left open to interpretation, which will naturally mean officers won’t take action unless a breach of the rules is absolutely clear.
In an interview with Kay Burley on Sky News this morning, John Apter said: “As I read it, from what the Prime Minister has said is that the rules are being relaxed so people can go out within their family household on an unchallenged basis.
“They can go out further and they can drive more places, but as far as going to parks and on the beach and so on – which has been the source of much media headline in the past – then people can as long as they enforce social distancing.
“I can tell you now, my colleagues aren’t going to be issued with tape measures. We’re not going to go around with two metres and inspecting where they’re sitting so more people are going to be out on the roads, more people are going to be out at the parks.
“I think policing will have to take a step back because much of what is being explained to me over the last 24 hours – and certainly what I’m seeing in the media – means that policing this crisis is almost impossible.”
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