West Mercia policing chiefs welcome coronavirus enforcement funding
Additional funding to help the police enforce coronavirus restrictions has been welcomed by policing chiefs in West Mercia.
The £466,243 of extra funding from government is part of a £30 million package to support more visible policing around Covid-19 following a surge in cases nationally.
It will also provide police support to local authorities and the NHS to make sure that people are self-isolating if NHS Test & Trace has identified a need for them to do so.
Deputy Chief Constable for West Mercia Police, Julian Moss, said: “We are hugely grateful that the vast majority of the public and businesses across Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire have done the right and responsible thing and followed the legislation from lockdown right through to where we find ourselves today.
“However, there are still those that continue to flout the regulations and it is our role to educate them on the actions they should be taking to keep themselves, their family and their community safe but to also, where they don’t or refuse to comply, take enforcement action.
“We are currently awaiting finer details around the parameters for how this money can be spent however, the extra will support our work in ensuring the rules are followed and is welcomed by the force at a time when demand is nearly back to pre-pandemic levels.”
West Mercia Police & Crime Commissioner John Campion said: “Our communities have made changes to every aspect of their lives in the fight to combat Covid-19.
"Over the last six months people have pulled together to help and protect each other.
"We need to maintain and redouble that approach of ‘all being in it together’, to ensure the need for restrictions is minimised, and enabling us and our society to continue as normally as possible.
“The majority of people have been sensible in their response to Covid-19, but there will always be a minority that do not follow the rules.
"As a consequence, they put vulnerable people at risk of infection and harm.
"West Mercia Police has made it clear that there is no room for flouting the regulations, and that strict enforcement action will be taken where rules are broken, and appropriate fines given.
"This additional money from government reinforces that commitment to keeping us safe and giving the police the resources they need to carry out enforcement where it is necessary.”
