The home secretary, Priti Patel, has defended the way police have handed out fines for lockdown breaches, stressing that there is a “need for strong enforcement”. The force has since confirmed that it would be reviewing all fixed penalty notices issued during the new national lockdown in England after it received clarification about the coronavirus regulations from the National Police Chiefs’ Council. But despite former police chiefs arguing that damage had been done to public trust by Derbyshire constabulary’s actions, Patel praised officers’ efforts to tackle the spread of Covid-19. Patel said: “Our police officers are working tirelessly to keep us safe. The vast majority of the public have supported this huge national effort and followed the rules.

Source: The Guardian January 09, 2021 23:37 UTC