The easing of lockdown set to be demanding for already stretched police officers

THE re-opening of pubs and restaurants on July 4 could be as demanding as ‘New Year’s Eve’ on officers, Essex Police Federation has warned.

The Government is aiming to get the night-time economy going again and wants punters to hit the pubs for a pint or two.

But for already stretched police officers the timing of the opening, on a Saturday, is likely to increase the number of drinkers and potential violence spilling out onto the streets.

Live football is scheduled to be broadcast that same day, and the long-term forecast looks good, adding to Essex Police Federation Chair Laura Heggie’s concerns.

“I think the biggest challenge now concerning the lockdown changes, is going to be the weekend that the pubs open for the 4^th of July. We already know that that’s going to be extremely demanding on resourcing and there’s live football that day as well,” she said.

“The long-term predictions is that the weather’s going to be good as well. It’s got all the ingredients that are going to bring people out to beer gardens; it’s already been described as a New Year’s Eve.

“It’s going to be demanding across the whole force.”

The high risks posed by the weekend will see some officers being re-rostered and shift patterns change, Laura said.

“We’ve already been told that there is going to be several changes to officers’ duties, some will have to move around and re-rostered.

“We always knew it was going to come, it was just when it was going to happen, and it was something we couldn’t plan for.

“It’s difficult for officers because with everything that’s got to come into place the notice that they’re going to get, they were only told Friday once it was confirmed what we need.

“Yes, they got a week’s notice, but it’s going to be changing people from an early shift or who thought they were on an early shift to a late or a night turn which then impacts on their next day plus other family commitments.

“It’s not just peoples’ shifts that concerns them for their home life, especially at the moment with schools not returning as well, you’ve got all childcare issues, you’ve got the fact that people can’t get kids looked after as well. It’s really challenging.”

Laura says she hopes officers understand the extraordinary circumstances behind the date and said the force had planned as best it could do.

“We need to try to be flexible and to be understanding. There isn’t a lot that the organisation could do,” she said.

“It’s not that they’ve left it to the last minute. Until the announcement was made, nobody knew when the pubs were going to open for sure.

“As soon as that announcement got made, then the planning could be put in place. It would have been wrong for them to have started moving officers’ duties on the possibility it might happen.” Laura added.

“In that respect, they’re doing the right thing by leaving it until we knew, but that still won’t necessarily make it any easier for officers that are going to get moved around.

“If there are genuine issues concerning childcare or dependents etc., then flag that up as soon as you get the notification with line managers and they’ll have to see what can be done to try and be flexible.

“It’s a two-way thing as well, but at the end of the day we are going to need the resources that weekend”