LISTEN: PSNI issue over 1,000 penalties for Covid19 breaches

By Q Radio News & PA

The PSNI has handed out over 1,000 fixed penalty notices to people breaching coronavirus restrictions. 

The Chief Constable says officers have also visited hundreds of bars, restaurants and off-licences including more than 350 last weekend. 

However Simon Byrne told members of the Northern Ireland Policing Board he understands the danger now lies elsewhere.  

“The matter of the moment seems to be the policing of the wearing of face masks. I think it’s important to recognise that from what we see from both the retail sector and from Translink, there’s about 90% compliance with the restrictions and desire for people to behave in that social-distanced space in which face masks is a part,” he said.

“We don’t necessarily see this as a place for policing to be interrupting people’s lives. We have an ‘e’s approach’ and on occasions the three e’s – encourage, explain, should be sufficient (to avoid enforcing) if officers come across people not wearing a face mask and obviously on occasions there will be legitimate reasons, medical reason etc why people won’t.

“I know it’s a live issue but actually we’re here to follow the health regulations and direction set in that context rather than turn it into a police enforcement issue.”

He added that officers have issued nearly 1,000 penalty notices, and over the weekend visited more than 350 licensed premises.

“The thing we have zoomed in on in the last few weeks, following the medical evidence, house parties in terms of the enforcement piece,” he said.

Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd insisted police “are not idle” about enforcing the rules on face masks as after it emerged none of the fines were in relation to coverings. 

“This is a health crisis, these are health regulations and we respond to health needs in trying to focus on the best use of our resources, and that varies over time,” he said.

“A lot of the public discourse at the minute around face coverings is almost hinting that police aren’t doing anything in this space and nothing could be further from the truth.

“Since pubs reopened and restrictions imposed we have had on the higher side of 650 calls for service, most of which has been serviced, that is on top of about another 1,000 inspection visits that we have performed. That has resulted in a lot of advice but equally has resulted in 60 prohibition notices issued to various premises including closures.

“House parties were prioritised by the police service because that was the request of health (service leaders), because that’s what the information said was the source of the public health risk.

“Over 450 fines to date have been issued on that, another 30-odd last night, so the problem hasn’t gone away. This is an ongoing daily priority for us in terms of tackling that community transmission borne out of house parties with large numbers. And a further 104 prohibition notices on householders who have been hosting those parties. So that is a substantial amount of work.”

Mr Todd said work also goes on in terms of quarantine and self-isolation, with around 20 fines issued which cost more, from £1,000.