Coronavirus threatens police investigations as forces brace for fifth of officers to be off

Plans drawn up will see less serious crimes sidelined if large numbers of officers fall ill, Lizzie Dearden writes

Forces have been asked to draw up local action plans on how they will perform core functions with reduced staff levels (AFP/Getty)

The start of 2020 looked promising for British police officers, who were finally seeing their numbers increase after the government’s abrupt U-turn on almost a decade of cuts.

But before the first of 20,000 new recruits pledged by Boris Johnson can settle in, the coronavirus outbreak has emerged to present a fresh threat to police numbers, working conditions and safety.

All 43 regional police forces across England and Wales have been ordered to draw up localised plans on how they will perform core functions if significant numbers of staff fall ill or have to isolate themselves.

They will be prioritising the most serious crimes and incidents that pose a threat to public safety, meaning less severe calls go unanswered and non-urgent investigations are paused.

If the government introduces more stringent quarantine measures, police officers will have to man cordons and detain infected people.

In the event of worsened panic buying or food shortages, they may also have to enforce public order.

Investigating the most common crimes, like burglary and theft, will take a back seat and the public should not expect an immediate response.

The 101 non-emergency number may be temporarily axed so all resources can be pulled into answering 999 calls.

The changes could have a drastic effect on crime detection rates, which have already fallen over years of austerity to leave only 7 per cent of reported crimes being prosecuted.

But as dire as this scenario may seem, the current plans only account for up to a fifth of police officers and staff being off work.

Police leaders have not officially modelled what will happen if the number exceeds that.

As the government moves from the “contain” to “delay” phase of its response, chief constables are preparing to refresh guidance for frontline officers who may come into contact with infected people.

Sources say there has not yet been any widespread sickness reported, but the first police force announced an officer falling ill this week.

South Wales Police said an officer based at Merthyr Tydfil station had been diagnosed with coronavirus and was self-isolating.

The building was deep cleaned overnight on Tuesday and staff returned the following day.

Forces are also preparing for staff who have children and dependents to be off work to care for them, and senior officers have been pulled off their normal duties for coronavirus response and contingency planning.

“That is the main impact at the moment,” a source said. “Planning has engaged a lot of people across the service to make sure everything is in place.”

The escalation came as the Home Affairs Committee announced an inquiry into the preparedness of police forces and other agencies overseen by the Home Office.

But among officers, there is a sense of heading into the unknown. The plans are made but with a finite number of people to draw on, only time will tell if normal police work can continue.