It has been reported that the police are “retreating” from lockdown enforcement and will now only break up large gatherings.

The Times reported that the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) have told ministers that most lockdown issues are now a “personal and moral responsibility” rather than a policing issue.

Senior officers warned that the lockdown was “unenforceable” when restrictions were eased this month, allowing unlimited exercise and travel to beauty spots.

David Jamieson, Labour police and crime commissioner for the West Midlands said in the report that: “Whereas at the beginning of the lockdown it was mainly young boys breaking the rules and people would move on after being spoken to by officers, police were being openly challenged regularly by people of all age groups.”

Police forces have issued more than 14,000 lockdown fines across England and Wales but many forces are now down to “a handful a week”.

Source: The Times