Officers using drones to check up on people 'not the route we want police going down,' says policing boss

Forces have been given new powers to fine or even arrest anyone flouting regulations intended to halt the spread of Covid-19.

Derbyshire Constabulary was accused of ‘lockdown shaming’ after using drones to monitor walkers in the Peak District.

Other forces have also faced criticism and this week Durham Constabulary arrested and charged a man with being drunk and disorderly after telling officers the lockdown ‘didn’t apply to him’, prompting debate over how new rules should be interpreted.

Officers have now been issued new guidance on policing the lockdown.

“The use of drones has invoked an interesting debate which perhaps has clarified things,” said Steve White, Police, Crime and Victims’ Commissioner (PCVC) for County Durham and Darlington.

“But on face value a police force using drones to check up on people is a route to a police service that we don’t want in this country, in my view.

“I think forces are learning as they go along and I don’t think we will see similar things to that in the next few months because I think police forces have learned and I think that is a good thing.

“This is an unprecedented time in terms of what police are being asked to do, but we shouldn’t be afraid of turning around and saying what we did was a bit daft and unhelpful – we should be big enough and sensible enough to take constructive criticism.”

White, a former chairman of policemen’s union the Police Federation, has been acting PCVC since last year.

He took over after incumbent, the late Ron Hogg, stepped down due to ill health and was due to return to his previous role as PCVC chief executive after elections scheduled for May, which have now been postponed.

“We’ve got a proud tradition of policing by consent in the UK,” White added.

“We need everyone to follow the guidance and be intelligent about what that says, which is basically staying away from each other.

“But what we mustn’t do is have the police as an arm of the state checking everyone’s movements.”

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