Almost 150 police staff in Norfolk off due Covid and isolation
There's fears the force won't be able to police effectively if it continues
There's nearly 150 members of staff at Norfolk Police off work because they've got Covid or are having to self-isolate.
Andy Symonds, who is the chairman of the Norfolk Police Federation, has revealed there are almost 90 police officers and a further 50 more administrative staff having to be off after either testing positive for Covid or having to self-isolate.
He says there are fears that if more officers become ill, the force may not be able to police the county as effectively.
He said:
"At the moment, we have just shy of 90 officers either off with Covid or self-isolating. We have around 50 police staff off as well.
"So we know this variant, it can spread so much easier.
"The fear is that we get to a position whereby we can't deploy the resources we'd like in order to enforce Covid regulations or to police in a way that we have been to date."
It was revealed last week that 459 fixed penalty notices had been handed out to people by Norfolk Police, from March 27 of last year.
Mr Symonds added:
"We have to remember that officers go to lots of people's home addresses and businesses.
"They have to get in close contact with people when they arrest them. They become violent, they continue to spit at police officers and threaten that they've got the virus or they do, in fact have it."