Are The Police Allowed To Fine People

[Barsel]

for flaunting the rules?
Are the rules a legal requirement , or common sense rules , or advisory suggestions?
I thought you could only be fined if you broke the law.

[dannyk13]

Yes.under NHS regulations:-
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/coronavirus-lockdown-uk-arrest-fine-police-rules-latest-a9428196.html

[woofgang]

In England, the police have some enforcement powers. From what I can see, their enforcement powers are around behaviour which puts other people at risk....so large gatherings, people who are making it impossible for others to socially distance, things like aggressively spitting or counghing on people or threatening to do so. Beyond that they are engaging and advising....of course if their engagement or advice is met with aggression then they can deal with that but that's not COVID related powers. https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/c19/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-covid-19-police-powers/

[woofgang]

danny, that's an old article quoting the old lockdown rules.

[shoota]

I don't think you can be fined for not complying with medical advice though Barsel, if that is what is concerning you.

[jno]

as of a couple of weeks ago, 14,000 fines had been issued,quite a lot of them in London (not so many in Barnard Castle, I would guess)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52674192

[jno]

these are up-to-date figures: they're still issuing fines but not so many

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52852498

Restrictions will ease again on Monday.

[Buenchico]

The Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 empowers ministers to make regulations in regard to the current situation.

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 [as amended], or equivalent regulations in other parts of the UK, provide RULES as to what people may or may not do and empower the police to issue Fixed Penalty Notices when those rules are broken. For example, people attending a mass gathering (such as a 'rave') will be breaking the rules and can be issued with FPNs.

However GUIDANCE is laid on top of those rules. The police have NO powers to enforce such guidance. For example, it's only 'guidance', and not 'law', that people should maintain social distancing. If the police see two people, from different households, hugging and kissing, they can offer advice to them but they can't issue an FPN to either of them.

[dannyk13]

Woofgang//danny, that's an old article quoting the old lockdown rules.//
They are still in force until September.

[Barsel]

As the rules are changing all the time, it must be difficult for people to know if they will be fined for doing certain things and probably difficult for the police to know when the can issue a fine.
Thanks shoota, it's good to know I won't be fined if I break the 12 week sentence some of us have been given :-)

[jno]

just stay away from the raves for a while, Barsel.

[Barsel]

^^^^^^^ spoilsport. :-) x

[woofgang]

barsel that's why I commented that IMO the police have powers to deal with things that put the public at risk and not with things that put the individual doing them at risk. Health ADVICE for individuals with specific health issues isn't a matter for the police.

[Barsel]

Thanks woofgang. It was one of the reasons for asking but mainly just asking in general. When I see the hordes of people who are gathering at the seaside, I just think it must be difficult to police that plus, while they are doing that, they're not out catching criminals who are actually breaking the law.

[Peter Pedant]

the daily beast said the police were resiling from enforcing lockdown
doing a minnesota
er no not leaning on peoples necks - but doing nought

taking - if you wanna kill other people go ahead, we wont stop you stuff

[retrocop]

Unlike the Carrabineri or the Guarda Civil the British Police don't put the fines in their pocket on the spot. :-)

[woofgang]

Barsel!! https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8373143/Coronavirus-lockdown-eased-2-2million-vulnerable-people-shielding-March.html