Fines for Covid breaches fall in Suffolk
Police enforcement action in Suffolk has reduced in the last week - Credit: Archant
Fines issued by police for breaches of Covid-19 rules have fallen in the last week amid fewer coronavirus-related calls to officers.
Just 1.3% of calls to Suffolk Constabulary between February 9 and 15 were related to the pandemic restrictions - and officers have reported that 50 fixed penalty notices were issued between February 8 and 14, compared to 76 the week before.
Constabulary data presented to Friday's local outbreak engagement board meeting of Suffolk leaders showed that breaches of quarantine, face mask rules, gatherings and self-isolation rules breaches were all down.
Only breach of a health order - those leaving their homes for reasons not among the exceptions - increased to 134 cases, compared to 105 the week before.
Rachel Kearton from Suffolk Constabulary said Suffolk's communities had been largely compliant to Covid restrictions - Credit: Archant
Suffolk police's deputy chief constable, Rachel Kearton, said: "This week we have seen a reduction in the number of calls into the control room that are Covid-related, and surprisingly there are less than 2% - 1.3% of our calls, which has made life much more manageable for the constabulary compared to recent months."
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According to police, much of the the breach of health order calls were in relation to travel restrictions.
"A lot of those calls will be neighbours and fellow members of the public calling to let us know that they have noticed people out and about a bit more, and bringing it to our attention," DCC Kearton said.
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"That is probably a reflection of, as much as anything, people out and about now that the cold weather has passed, but also a sense of people stretching the boundaries a little bit.
"It's not horrendous - we still have very, very compliant communities and a compliant public in Suffolk."
David Collinson, chairman of the safer places group which monitors local authority involvement in Covid breaches, said there had also been a reduction in non-compliance for businesses.
He said: "We are still seeing some areas of non-compliance but on the whole most business settings understand the measures that are in place."
