Top cops' Facebook session to put things straight over Northamptonshire's Covid-19 lockdown
'We very much want to ensure there is sensible dialogue, common sense and cooperation'
Northamptonshire Police are stepping up a massive information operation to help people get to grips with the coronavirus lockdown.
Chief Constable Nick Adderley and two senior officers will take to Facebook tomorrow (Tuesday March 31) answering questions about what people can and cannot do and how the force is policing new laws aimed at keeping people at home.
And Mr Adderley promises more media updates in a bid to keep things straight as the crisis continues.
He added: "Northamptonshire Police will enforce the law and issues sanctions, penalties or arrest those who do not follow the instructions given by the Government.
"I will be doing more media and other updates Northamptonshire Police's approach to dealing with this dreadful disease and our approach following the introduction of new powers for the police.
"We very much want to ensure that sensible dialogue, common sense and cooperation is sought first.
"This is an opportunity for the public to unite, to come together with a common purpose of saving lives, protecting the NHS and making our county as safe as it can be. Together we will crack this!"
Sunday's latest Public Health England figures revealed 19,522 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the UK — 126 in Northamptonshire — and 1,228 deaths among people who had tested positive for the bug.
New laws came into effect on Thursday following Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordering the nation to stay at home. Since then, people who are not key workers should only be exercising outdoors once a day or going out to do essential shopping in a bid to slow the spread of the deadly disease.
Police switchboards have been swamped by 999 calls demanding people be arrested after going for two runs a day instead of one and seeking advice on the lockdown.
But Mr Adderley maintains that engaging with the public and understanding their concerns is paramount for his force. Six new drones arrived at the weekend skies to help communicate public information messages and tomorrow's Facebook video chat involving Superintendants Sarah Johnson and Elliot Foskett will help hammer home the message.
The trio will be fielding questions between 4pm and 5pm submitted via the Northamptonshire Police Facebook page.