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A police leader has claimed that the latest blocking guidelines announced by Boris Johnson are a “loose set of rules open to interpretation” and are “difficult to implement.”
John Apter, National President of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: “What we need from the Prime Minister and the Government now is a clear and unambiguous message and guidance, explaining what exactly is expected of the public, so that my colleagues can do their best to keep an eye on you.
“Police officers will continue to do their best, but their work should be based on clear guidance, not loose rules that are left open to interpretation, because that will be very unfair to officers whose job is already challenging.”
Apter said the prime minister’s statement on Sunday followed a week of “mixed messages and the release of certain information that, fueled by media speculation, meant that many people acted as if the shutdown was already over.”
The Police Federation awaits further details on the government’s guidance when Mr. Johnson updates Parliament on Monday.
This may also include details of an increase in fines for people who break social distancing rules after the prime minister encouraged the public to spend more time outdoors to exercise starting Wednesday.
Apter said: “If the message of what is expected from the public is unclear, then it will make the job of monitoring this legislation almost impossible.”
It comes after the Metropolitan Police Federation (MPF), which represents police officers in London, criticized the government’s pandemic response as “dubious” amid concerns that the public had begun to ignore restrictions on closing.
Ken Marsh of MPF told BBC Radio 4: “It has been quite lazy how we have done it.”
“If we had been very strict from the start, it is painful, but it is not too painful in terms of what you are really asked to do, so I think we would have a better result now.”
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