Staffordshire’s Commissioner for Police, Fire and Rescue and Crime, Matthew Ellis has praised the way people across the county and Stoke-on-Trent have adhered to the lockdown and the way police have dealt with individuals who have not.
Mr Ellis said the unprecedented restrictions had been broadly respected and where they hadn’t been, officers from Staffordshire Police had taken a firm, but measured approach.
‘This has been, and will continue to be, a tough time for local people who have not experienced in their lifetime the types of restrictions now in place,’ he said
‘The vast majority understand the importance of the measures and realise if they are adhered to there’s a better chance of them being relaxed sooner. For whatever reason, there are those who will either choose to ignore the restrictions or not fully understand them.
‘I want to praise and thank officers from Staffordshire Police for so effectively using their judgement or discretion to explain why behaviour needs to change, or in a few cases, penalise those who refuse to follow the rules,’ said Mr Ellis.
Staffordshire Police officers have engaged with thousands of people across the county since the government rules to stop the spread of Covid-19 were introduced.
In most cases, people have been quick to understand and comply, meaning no enforcement has been necessary – this was borne out last week when the NPCC released figures for the first time showing enforcement data across all forces.
For Staffordshire Police it showed between 27 March and 13 April ten fixed penalty notices had been issued, indicating the overwhelming majority of people were abiding by the rules and staying at home to protect the NHS and save lives.
Chief Constable Gareth Morgan said: ‘We all recognise this is a difficult time and I want to thank the vast majority of the people of Staffordshire for continuing to follow the government instructions to stay at home.
‘These restrictions are vital to protect our families, our communities and the NHS and we must continue to work together to fight Covid-19 and save lives.’
