Have you been stopped by the police while out?

Some people on the net are accusing the police of abusing their powers. It seems to me that they are just following the guidelines presented by the brief linked above. Is the briefs interpretation of the the health act sound? Personally I know little about the subject but would like to hear other opinions.

This is my subject. It’s the same information I have been briefed with as it’s national. I’m struggling to see any issues with it. It’s pretty reasonable guidance to enforcing the new legislation, and encourages a very softly softly approach on the whole. I hope that won’t have to change, but if new the predictions about the UK death rate becoming the worst in Europe because of Lockdown-Lite(tm), and the fact a significant number people cant behave themselves, it sadly might have to change. I think we may see a revision to the legislation soon.

Also, some people will always accuse the police of abusing their powers, just just the way some people are.
 
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I live a mile on the Irish side of the Ireland/Northern Ireland border. The Irish Garda have started stopping cars crossing the border since Wednesday, and will continue until at least after the Bank Holiday weekend.

They are stopping both Irish cars going to the UK, and UK cars coming to Ireland.

I'm allowed to cross as I work in the NHS in NI.
 
Not been stopped (yet?) but have seen lots of police out in the roads on the once every 7-10 days that I venture out for shopping. It is however perfectly clear from what has been reported in the media and twitter that some police forces are not applying the legislation as-written.

I am a key worker and have a letter from my employer in the event I had to be out and was stopped, but can do 99% of what I need to do from home. What I am much more likely to carry is a copy of s6 of the regulations - as it's quite clear the police don't have a clue what the law actually says about why you can be out of your home...
 
...it's quite clear the police don't have a clue what the law actually says about why you can be out of your home...

Why, have you spoken to all 120,000 officers across the UK?

A handful of youtube videos doesn’t represent the police force as a whole. There’s 10’s (if not 100’s) of thousands of interactions a day between officers and members of the public that are perfectly fine.
 
Why, have you spoken to all 120,000 officers across the UK?

A handful of youtube videos doesn’t represent the police force as a whole. There’s 10’s (if not 100’s) of thousands of interactions a day between officers and members of the public that are perfectly fine.

I guess you missed the Chief Constable for Northants Police threatening to start checking people's shopping at supermarkets for "non-essential items", which required the Home Secretary to publicly tell him off and not to do such a stupid thing? (which, I will add, also had no legal basis in law).

And then we have the case of the first person who was "convicted" having the conviction annulled because the police had charged her (and somehow a magistrate then convincted her) under a law that didn't exist? Yes, the policing of these coronavirus regulations really is going "perfectly fine"!!

 
I guess you missed the Chief Constable for Northants Police threatening to start checking people's shopping at supermarkets for "non-essential items", which required the Home Secretary to publicly tell him off and not to do such a stupid thing? (which, I will add, also had no legal basis in law).

And then we have the case of the first person who was "convicted" having the conviction annulled because the police had charged her (and somehow a magistrate then convincted her) under a law that didn't exist? Yes, the policing of these coronavirus regulations really is going "perfectly fine"!!


So one CC of one of the 43 forces made some comments, which he later apologies for - and that means all 120,000+ officers have no understanding of the law?

And the single case was a charging error by the CPS, which was rectified on the request of the police, demonstrates the same does it? (incidentally, they just used the wrong section. She could have be charged again, but they chose not to).

But the way my colleagues have been doing C19 body recovery in the last few days, and dealing with load of people out drinking in the street spitting at them and other key workers, with virtually no PPE, at huge risk to themselves and families. So continue to find things deride many decent people up and down the country who you know nothing about if you like, but thankfully most people have a certain amount of gratitude and understanding. Times are challenging, there will be a few mistakes along the way.
 
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I do think you need to acknowledge @Autopilot that there are and always will be over zealous cops, it’s human nature.

This whole crisis has people worried, when people get worried they do some silly thing's, like panic buying toilet rolls and CC telling shoppers they’d have their shopping inspected. There is also an element of frustration, as cops are normally law abiding people, and some must be getting hacked off, with a minority not following government guidance.

So if you do get stopped, just explain what your doing, and you will be allowed along your way, cos in the most part, we are all following the guidance, it’s just the odd few idiots who are not.
 
I do think you need to acknowledge @Autopilot that there are and always will be over zealous cops, it’s human nature.

This whole crisis has people worried, when people get worried they do some silly thing's, like panic buying toilet rolls and CC telling shoppers they’d have their shopping inspected. There is also an element of frustration, as cops are normally law abiding people, and some must be getting hacked off, with a minority not following government guidance.

So if you do get stopped, just explain what your doing, and you will be allowed along your way, cos in the most part, we are all following the guidance, it’s just the odd few idiots who are not.

I’ve acknowledged that a number of times, my point is that the vast majority aren’t.
 
If I want to go and sit in the park and read a book or chill out listening to my music with my headphones, I can. It's got nothing to do with the cops. As long as I keep my social distancing. The UK is NOT a dictatorship country. This is NOT North Korea.
 
If I want to go and sit in the park and read a book or chill out listening to my music with my headphones, I can. It's got nothing to do with the cops. As long as I keep my social distancing. The UK is NOT a dictatorship country. This is NOT North Korea.
Sadly, that's not true as of March 26th! You may want to have a read of: The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020

The key bit is section 6 (The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020) which essentially says "you stay at home unless you have a very good reason, and here's a list of some very good reasons":

Restrictions on movement
6.—(1) During the emergency period, no person may leave the place where they are living without reasonable excuse.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1), a reasonable excuse includes the need—

(a)to obtain basic necessities, including food and medical supplies for those in the same household (including any pets or animals in the household) or for vulnerable persons and supplies for the essential upkeep, maintenance and functioning of the household, or the household of a vulnerable person, or to obtain money, including from any business listed in Part 3 of Schedule 2;

(b)to take exercise either alone or with other members of their household;

(c)to seek medical assistance, including to access any of the services referred to in paragraph 37 or 38 of Schedule 2;

(d)to provide care or assistance, including relevant personal care within the meaning of paragraph 7(3B) of Schedule 4 to the Safeguarding of Vulnerable Groups Act 2006(1), to a vulnerable person, or to provide emergency assistance;

(e)to donate blood;

(f)to travel for the purposes of work or to provide voluntary or charitable services, where it is not reasonably possible for that person to work, or to provide those services, from the place where they are living;

(g)to attend a funeral
...
 
Really. Why have you not got somewhere else you can sit and do the same thing without exposing yourself and others? Or do you want to become another statistic?

Maybe he hasn’t? Not everyone lives somewhere with a garden.
 
Someone travelled down from Scotland to Wales last week to pick up a car they had bought online. Fined by police.
 
Same here :hiya:
 
From across the pond and in the Southwest, here only the State Police has authority to enforce our Governors rules, I am "essential" and have letters in all vehicles we drive as well as my work backpack. Rural State so it hasn't hit here as bad (7 so far in my county, 1 deceased) we did start social distancing earlier than most over here. Cheers!
 

So reading that. Rather than go on my daily bike ride, passing hundreds of walkers/dog walkers etc, they wouldn't have a problem me driving an hour, to go on a 5 hour walk, most likely passing next to nobody.....
 
If I want to go and sit in the park and read a book or chill out listening to my music with my headphones, I can. It's got nothing to do with the cops. As long as I keep my social distancing. The UK is NOT a dictatorship country. This is NOT North Korea.

Some of the folks in Michigan would welcome you with open arms.......;)
 
Talk about giving mixed messages. We can drive to the countryside get exercise.


From the article...

Exercise guidelines
On exercise, the guidance lists driving to the countryside for a walk as "reasonable" if "far more time" is spent walking than driving.

But it adds that driving for a "prolonged period with only brief exercise" is not reasonable.

That would appear to indicate that someone who drove for an hour to a beauty spot for a walk would not be contravening the rules.
 

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