More than 1,000 coronavirus fines handed out by Dorset Police
But do they need to be tougher?
More than 1,000 fines have been handed out by police for breaches of Covid-19 laws in Dorset since they came into force, figures show.
Data published by the National Police Chiefs Council shows a total of 1,010 fixed penalty notices (FPNs) were issued by Dorset Police between March 27 and December 20.
Of these, 850 were issued for breaches of coronavirus laws brought in during the first few months of the pandemic, 27 were linked to the tiered alert system introduced in October, and 110 to the national lockdown which began in November.
Police forces across England and Wales have issued 32,329 FPNs since March, though the NPCC said there had been a downward trend in recent weeks.
The peak occurred during the Easter bank holiday in April, with 3,288 handed out that week.
Although the NPCC figures do not cover the Christmas and New Year period, Home Secretary Priti Patel said last week that more than 800 fines had been handed out over the previous 14 days.
She also defended the way police have handed out fines for lockdown breaches so far, warning that officers "will not hesitate" to take action.
Ms Patel said:
"The vast majority of the public have supported this huge national effort and followed the rules.
"But the tragic number of new cases and deaths this week shows there is still a need for strong enforcement where people are clearly breaking these rules to ensure we safeguard our country's recovery from this deadly virus."
Of the fines in Dorset, there was one for failing to wear a face covering on public transport or a relevant place, such as a shop.
There was also one for gatherings held of more than 30 people, which carries a £10,000 penalty.
A spokesman for Dorset Police said:
"Officers have been out in the community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and have continued to take a sensible approach when dealing with reported breaches of the restrictions.
"Our officers, including our dedicated COVID-19 patrol officers, will continue to use a 4 Es approach of escalation, where they will engage, explain and encourage people to follow the regulations. Where this is not effective, then enforcement action will be taken when reasonable, proportionate and in line with COVID-19 regulations.
"Everyone has a social responsibility to stick within the rules and we would ask that people follow them to help keep people safe and prevent the spread of the virus."