Coronavirus: Message from Falkirk Area Commander on 'extraordinary' new police powers

As the communities of Falkirk will no doubt know, new emergency legislation has been introduced across Scotland in response to the coronavirus pandemic. We have been given extraordinary powers in an extraordinary situation.

However, the new legislation has ultimately been introduced to help us to save lives across Scotland and to help support the extraordinary work being done by colleagues in the NHS.

We police by consent, with the support and compliance of the public and that has never been more important than right now.

You may see an increase in police patrols in the coming days and weeks across Falkirk. Since the new legislation was introduced, officers have been carrying out high visibility patrols to engage with communities, explain the government guidance and encourage them to follow that guidance.

You may find that officers will stop and speak to you to find out why you are outside and they will also visit business premises, such as supermarkets, to ensure social distancing is being adhered to.

I have been out on patrol with my officers and it's clear that the vast majority of Falkirk’s communities are listening to the guidelines. It's very important that everyone continues to listen to and comply with the guidelines so that lives can be saved.

The new legislation does allow police to take enforcement action for those found not to be complying with the guidelines. But, to be clear, we will only use these powers as a last resort and my experience to date is that it will be the minority that don't engage positively with us and follow our advice.

During this challenging time, I would also like to reassure the communities of Falkirk that we will continue to work with partners to protect the most vulnerable, keep the public safe‎ and respond to the concerns of the local community.

I would like to remind everyone that, in line with government advice, you must stay at home and only leave your house if you have a reasonable excuse to do so.

This includes shopping for necessary food, household and medical supplies, travelling to and from work where working from home is not an option, and daily exercise that adheres to social distancing guidance. You should not be travelling in your car to another location to exercise – the guidance is to exercise close to your home.

I would like thank all staff at NHS Forth Valley and others in the care and health profession for everything they are doing ‎in this unprecedented time. I would also like to thank all police officers and staff across Falkirk, who are deployed within the community, putting themselves at risk to protect the wider public and save lives.

Please help us to keep you and your loved ones safe by listening to government advice and by staying home.