Author Archives: netpoluk

POLICING Big Brother Watch has written a letter (PDF) to the National Police Chiefs Council to make the case for an urgent review of all 14,000 police fines issued under coronavirus emergency powers. Other signatories include Netpol, Kirsty Brimelow QC, Jules Carey from Bindmans, INQUEST, StopWatch, Fair Trials, Liberty and the Police Action Lawyers Group.Continue reading “21-22 May Update”

POLICING As the Home Office starts to share the government’s new messages, the College of Policing has issued new guidance [PDF] for officers on the latest changes to the lockdown regulations starting today in England (similar guidance for Wales [PDF] was issued on Monday). The guidelines urge officers to only enforce what is written inContinue reading “13-14 May Update”

POLICING One of the criticisms of the police over the last six weeks of the lockdown has been that, instead of implementing the law, they have interpreted public health regulations in the way they thought the government wanted them to. This often involved more apparent concern for public order rather than public health, resulting inContinue reading “11-12 May Update”

POLICING Friday is a bank holiday to mark VE Day but street parties have obviously been cancelled. The police are warning people to make sure that whatever alternative lockdown celebrations are planned, social distancing rules are maintained. Meanwhile, some forces (notably Dorset and North Yorkshire) are also reiterating the message that their counties are closedContinue reading “7 May Update”

POLICING There is another bank holiday weekend approaching and police in Wales and North Yorkshire are gearing up for further action to restrict movements. The Guardian has reported claims that the lockdown in the Lake District is ‘fraying at the edges’. Lancashire Police have cancelled coronavirus fines handed to Shazia Zahieer and Tayyba Arif aContinue reading “5-6 May Update”

POLICING The Times has reported that senior police officers have warned the government that relaxing restrictions as Britain emerges from lockdown will make them “impossible to police” and requiring officers to carry out further enforcement that risks damaging their relationship with the public. This follows rumours that the government plans to increase the current levelContinue reading “4 May Update”

The Home Affairs Committee of the House of Commons has said the police must stop overstepping their powers under new coronavirus laws in order to maintain public trust. MPs have identified errors “through social media and press reporting”, and called for forces to “ensure that there are proper checks in place”. It adds: It isContinue reading “17 April Update”

POLICING The Joint Committee on Human Rights of both Houses of Parliament has asked the Metropolitan Police for the guidance issued to Borough Commanders on their role in parks and open spaces in London. In a letter from the committee’s chair, Harriet Harman, the committee says “we have seen police tape preventing the use ofContinue reading “7 April Update”