Sussex Police Call Rule Of Six Enforcement "Last Resort"

Sussex Police confirmed in the early hours of this morning that they'll enforce the new Covid-19 regulations as what they've called a "last resort".

Officers also encouraged the county's population to "play their part" in preventing the spread of Covid-19 as changes to the government’s regulations came into force this morning (September 14).

The regulation changes limited gatherings to six people, except in a small number of circumstances including schools, workplaces and organised team sports.

Sussex Police said officers will continue to be out and about in their communities to engage with members of the public, explaining the new government regulations and encouraging people to follow them.

Police will disperse groups of more than six where necessary and issue fines to those who don’t comply.

Enforcement will only be used proportionately, as a last resort, when engagement has not been successful.

Superintendent Julia Pope, who spoke during More Radio's breakfast show news today, said:

“Everyone has a part to play in preventing the spread of coronavirus.

"We will be doing all we can and we encourage others to do the same by following the new rules set out by the government.

“Our officers will continue to engage with their communities and in most situations, this engagement can resolve breaches without us having to issue a fine. We will issue fines when people refuse to comply.

“The demands on the police service are now back to pre-Covid levels.

"Our priorities lie with public safety and so it is even more important that people take personal responsibility for their actions and do their bit to prevent the spread of the virus, so the force can operate effectively for those who need us.

“If people are aware of a serious and current breach of the government’s coronavirus regulations, we would ask them to report it to us online.

“We will continue to work closely with the government, businesses, local authorities and partner agencies to make Sussex a safe place for people to live, work and visit.

"We ask the public to work with us and act responsibly to help prevent the spread of the virus.”