More than 50 people were fined for breaking lockdown rules in Brighton over the Easter weekend – with many of them visiting from outside the city.
Sussex Police this morning said thank you to the overwhelming majority of people in Brighton and Hove who followed guidelines.
And they said that all of the fines issued in Brighton on Easter Sunday were to people who lived outside Sussex.
Sussex Police Chief Constable Giles York said: “Once again, I’m so thankful for the amazing community spirit across Sussex. Local people are listening and doing the right thing by staying home, protecting the NHS and saving lives.
“Police officers and PCSOs out and about across the county report people, for the most part, complying with the guidance and engaging with them positively, showing support for their efforts to stop the spread of Covid-19.
“Unfortunately, a small number of people from outside of the county deemed it appropriate to visit the area, and these people were engaged with, explained to and encouraged to go home, with enforcement being a last – but necessary – resort in some cases.
“The number of FPNs we issued represents a tiny proportion of the thousands of interactions with the public over the weekend.
“We are incredibly grateful to our local communities. We appreciate their patience, resilience and respect and ask them to simply continue in that same manner.”
Sussex Police has now set up a dedicated website for people to report potential lockdown breaches. Each report is reviewed, triaged and prioritised for response.
The number of crimes reported to Sussex Police over the four-day Easter weekend remained low as many people stayed indoors – but there was an increase in reports of anti-social behaviour and a few instances of officers, security guards, shop staff and other keyworkers being threatened.
Sussex Police will continue the current approach of engaging with members of the public in the first instance, explaining the importance of following the government advice and encouraging them to make the right choice.
Enforcement remains a tactic where people refuse to comply or deliberately breach the guidelines.
