Sussex's Chief Constable has said he wants to use new police enforcement powers only as a "last resort" when dealing with people failing to observe new lockdown laws. But Giles York also told More Radio that monitoring compliance with the public safety laws to control the spread of coronavirus is only one of several changing areas affecting Sussex Police. The Chief Constable outlined the four-stage approach he has committed his officers to taking, if police notice breaches of regulations. He said: "In Sussex we will always seek to engage with our communities first. "Only by engaging with them will we explain why we think it is posing a threat, and why we think it is better for them, better for us, and better for the NHS to move on. "And only ever if that fails, and as a resort, would we move to any of the new enforcement powers given to us. "I think all of our responses have to be proportionate." Giles York emphasised that any isolation as a result of reducing the spread of Covid-19 must not override the safety of vulnerable people. To anyone fearful of abuse, he said: "We are seeing a change in the types of calls that the public are making. There is a reduction in things like fights at pubs, and crashes on the roads. "However, we may see an increase in things like domestic abuse. "For some people, being in their homes poses more risk than being outside. "Absolutely we are committed that they can still make contact with us, and we will still respond in order to be able to make them safer." The Chief Constable also said that police recruitment and training, to increase the numbers of officers and support staff, is continuing: "We are still bringing in, and training, new recruits. "We're bringing forward the powers and skills that they need to be able to go on to the streets, possibly sooner than we might have expected during this crisis. " The Law The government's new laws and regulations are freely available for the public to read. The enacted legislation, together with the Statutory Instrument detailing the lockdown regulations, exhibit slight differences between the Prime Minister's initial lockdown announcement and the extent of the law. More Radio is continuously dedicated to providing a quality news service on-air and online, reporting local stories that matter across Sussex.If you enjoyed reading this story, then check out our home page at moreradio.online where you can find the latest from the county, along with features and competitions from our presenters, as well as listening to the station live. You can also sign up to our news alerts to receive updates on new stories. Simply click on the bell at the bottom right of the home page. This will then allow a pop-up which will ask if you would like to receive alerts. Press ‘allow’ and you’re all signed up! You can also follow us on Facebook and on Twitter.
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