Policing every Leeds lockdown breach 'unrealistic': West Yorkshire Police Federation urges public to stick to rules

Responding to the announcement of further lockdown measures in Leeds from midnight tonight, Brian Booth urged the public to comply with the new rules.

Leeds City Council has said Leeds is to be made an “area of intervention”, meaning that similar restrictions on household mixing are to be introduced as is currently the case in the West Yorkshire districts of Bradford, Kirklees and Calderdale.

To read Leeds City Council's full statement, click here.

It will be illegal for households to mix in private homes and gardens and those who don't comply with the new rules could be fined £100 or £200 for a first offence.

But Mr Booth said there are not enough police resources to respond to every breach of the restrictions.

He urged people in Leeds to comply with the new rules to prevent a further lockdown, which he said would have "catastrophic" effects on the economy.

Mr Booth told the Yorkshire Evening Post: "Leeds is now going into the same local lockdown restrictions as other areas of West Yorkshire.

"Although my colleagues would want to respond to every breach of the regulations, it is unrealistic.

"Policing is as busy now as it was before Covid and there are simply not enough police resources to respond to every breach.

"My colleagues have to prioritise attendance at incidents based on threat risk and harm. So assaults, high risk missing persons, accidents and ongoing crime will always take precedence.

"That being said, a large gathering of people presents more risk and is likely to be responded to, compared to smaller group breaches.

"What’s clear is we are in a dangerous situation with the Covid rate going up and we really need the public to comply with the rules.

"My fear is returning to a full lockdown if people do not adhere to the rules and catastrophic economic effects that this will bring for years to come."

West Yorkshire Police say it is 'essential' that people in Leeds follow the new rules to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

West Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Tim Kingsman said: “It is essential that we all follow the latest regulations and restrictions to help prevent the spread of Covid 19. This is a shared effort and police will play their part alongside Government, businesses, hospitality owners, local authorities and others.

“I would urge people to use their common sense and think about their own safety and the safety of others during these unprecedented times.

“Our officers will continue to focus on engaging, explaining and encouraging, with enforcement where necessary for those who refuse to comply.

“The demands on the police service are now back to pre-Covid levels making it even more important that everyone takes personal responsibility so police involvement is a last resort."

Leeds Council's Tom Riordan added: "The rule of six and curfew are all exactly the same in Leeds. The additional factor is about no household mixing within your own home or garden. That’s the law. Outside, in pubs and restaurants, it’s the strong advice. There’s fines if you don’t do what the restriction says within your own home. But the guidance is that you shouldn’t mix with others in pubs and restaurants.

"If you have a social bubble, if you have childcare, if you have children in two separate households, if you’re having work done on your home, etc, there are exceptions.

“But the message is: you shouldn’t really mix with other households. The clarity of the bottom line is what we are trying to get to.”

A message from the Editor:

Leeds has a fantastic story to tell - and the Yorkshire Evening Post has been rooted firmly at the heart of telling the stories of our city since 1890. We believe in ourselves and hope you believe in us too. We need your support to help ensure we can continue to be at the heart of life in Leeds. Subscribe to our website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe. For more details on our newspaper subscription offers click here.

Thank you

Laura Collins