Rule of TWO! Police will knock on your door no more than twice to check if you’re self-isolating… before giving up – meaning hundreds who broke quarantine have escaped punishment
- National Police Chiefs’ Council admitted ‘no further enforcement action is taken’
- Organisation said officers had been asked to check on 4,114 addresses
- However, there was no answer at 440 of those so no further action was taken
Police officers checking on Brits who should be quarantining after returning to the country abandon their search if no one answers the door twice.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council admitted that when there is no answer at the address of someone who is meant to be quarantining, ‘no further enforcement action can be taken’.
The organisation said that officers had been asked to check on 4,114 addresses in England and Wales between June 8 and September 22.
However, there was no answer at 440 of those so no further action was taken.
Police officers checking on tourists who should be quarantining after returning to the country abandon their search if no one answers the door twice (stock picture)
It is unclear how persistent officers are, with the NPCC’s website stating that if no one answers the first time a policeman checks, follow ups are simply ‘suggested’.
But according to The Times, officers will visit the addresses of tourists restricted by quarantine ‘at most two times’.
The NPCC website states: ‘Where police are unable to get an answer following a visit to an address, then additional follow-up visits are suggested.
‘If there is still no answer, the times and dates of the visits should be recorded and fed back to Border Force via the triage centre.’
So far just 38 fines were issued to those failing to self-isolate across the UK.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council admitted that when there is no answer at the address of someone who is meant to be quarantining, ‘no further enforcement action can be taken’ (stock picture)
Some 3,216 people were found to be complying with quarantine rules while 218 were found to be in breach of the regulation.
However, the NPCC stated that ‘no further action was necessary as they were successfully encouraged to self-isolate’.
In 240 cases, returning passengers put the wrong address down on the locator form that is required for reentry into the country so ‘no further enforcement action could be taken’.
The NPCC chairman, Martin Hewitt, said: ‘It is crucial that people do everything they can, including limiting social contact, to reduce the spread of Coronavirus.
It is unclear how persistent officers are, with the NPCC’s website stating that if no one answers the first time a policeman checks, follow ups are simply ‘suggested’ (stock picture)
‘The country is at a critical point, and personal choices will matter in the weeks and months to come.
‘Thank you to the vast majority of the public for sticking to the rules and following the guidance in place to limit the spread of the virus.
‘A small minority, however, are not following the rules, and are making decisions which put lives at risk – they should expect to have enforcement action taken against them.’
The NPCC added that 18,646 fines have been issued across England and Wales but only 9,428 have been paid.