The Home Secretary, Priti Patel has hit out at a police chief after he said his officers will check supermarket trolleys, she said this is “not appropriate.”
Northamptonshire Police Chief Constable Nick Adderley has backtracked on his comments, he described his language as “clumsy.”
Northamptonshire Police chief constable Nick Adderley said his forces are considering “road blocks” and marshalling supermarkets and are to search through baskets and trolleys.
He said, “We will not, at this stage, be setting up road blocks. We will not, at this stage, start to marshal supermarkets and checking the items in baskets and trolleys to see whether it’s a legitimate, necessary item.
“But again, be under no illusion, if people do not heed the warnings and the pleas I’m making today, we will start to do that.”
Patel said that approach “is not the guidance.”
She told Talk Radio, “That’s not appropriate, let me be clear about that.
“That is not the guidance, that is not down to the measures we’ve been adopting thus far.
“I think though, what we should just say about this weekend, in particular, is the weather is going to be good, it’s Easter, we really do need to all take responsibility here, and it’s not about overreach.”
She added: “I’ll be very candid. Not everybody’s going to get this right and it has taken a couple of weeks for these measures to bed in because this has been unprecedented, don’t forget.
“The police have got these new powers that they are working with right now. We want our public places to be respected and utilised in the right way. We want people to make the most of at least getting out in the right kind of way, practising social distancing.
“But this is not about heavy-handed law enforcement. I think I really must emphasise that. There’s a balance to this.
“I do pay credit to the police because these are extraordinary times. They exercise their judgment.
“Policing by consent means that officers, based on the guidance, exercise their judgment on the scenarios and the situations and the circumstances they are in.
“But the fact of the matter is, if you are having a garden party or a house party, or you’re involved in a mass gathering in a public place, don’t be surprised if the police do come up to you and ask you to stop doing that.”
Adderley was asked would he arrest people for sunbathing or those who gather in groups.
He said, “Yes, it’s an option. What I’m saying is we’ve got to get really serious with this, people are dying every day.”
Police across the UK do have the power to enforce the lockdown rules if Covid Idiots do not comply with the law, and will receives fines, or arrest.
Chief constable Adderley said his officers have “stepped things up here” and are going to “hone in on” the “minority” who break the rules.
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