Criminals using 'weaponised' Covid-19 against officers, policing chief tells LBC
19 January 2021, 21:36
There is an "insufficient" number of officers to keep the public safe as many are ill or being forced to self-isolate, a Police Federation boss has told LBC.
National Vice-Chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales Ché Donald said the pandemic had hit police forces hard and that it was proving difficult to work when officers were being "overly targeted" by offenders.
It was revealed earlier this week that hundreds of Met police officers were not working due to Covid-19 which left eight cops covering two London boroughs - almost 500,000 people.
Read more: Police chief furious after officer who was spat at now 'suffering' with Covid-19
"That is not how it should be normally," Mr Donald said, "what you will see is up and down the country in different towns is that number will vary dramatically.
"For half a million people that's insufficient numbers to keep the public safe and keep officers safe."
Commissioner says officers are being spat at by people with Covid
He also highlighted how officers are increasingly being attacked for enforcing coronavirus regulations, with two officers contracting the virus shortly after being spat at by offenders.
Mr Donald said: "We need to remember that police officers are being overly targeted in performing their role - only last week we had an officer in Cambridge and an officer in Dorset who were spat at by offenders and have subsequently contracted coronavirus.
Read more: Police officer assaulted while shutting down 150-person illegal party
"Coronavirus is being weaponised against our members who are out there trying to perform a role under extremely difficult circumstances and are no doubt being placed at risk."
The focus has to be on 'enforcement' of the lockdown rules, Home Secretary warns on Met police patrol
He echoed bafflement by Met Police commissioner Dame Cressida Dick about why police officers were not being prioritised for a Covid jab despite being frontline emergency workers.
"We're not saying that police officers need to be pushed in front of most vulnerable in society, as borne out by the death rates, but what we're saying is Government needs to make up their mind where police officers do sit."
