Policing in a pandemic: Officers fear they’re seen as the villains in an “impossible situation” - a podcast by 5 News

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill is a series of Government proposals for major changes to crime and justice legislation that will effect the way police can act in England and Wales. One part of the legislation covers the measures police can put in place for protests.

It comes at a time when questions have been raised about police tactics during the Covid pandemic, resulting in multiple nights of 'Kill the Bill' protests, with some turning violent in Bristol.

Distressing scenes on Clapham Common surrounding a vigil for Sarah Everard made many question the way police handled the event - the vigil had been deemed illegal under Coronavirus restrictions, yet a large gathering took place anyway.

Andy Bell speaks with John Apter, Chairman of the Police Federation for England and Wales. In his role, John represents over 100,000 officers and he himself has been a serving Police Officer for 28 years.

John says that while the Police Bill may contain contentious proposals, the vast majority of the legislation has been back and campaigned for by the Police Federation in an attempt to protect their officers and make legislation fit for purpose.

John Apter is keen to stress that the police are not the law-makers, but are here to serve the public and will do so as they've been told. He says that the pandemic has put many officers in an impossible situation at times, feeling that they are "damned if they do, and damned if they don't" while trying to navigate the various Covid restrictions that are "alien" to everyday policing.

He notes that during the pandemic the crime that has risen most has been crimes of abuse against police officers, and tells Andy why he hopes all frontline services will receive their Covid vaccines sooner rather than later.

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