The Metropolitan Police Commissioner today said she is extremely disappointed that frontline officers have not been given priority for Covid-19 vaccinations.
Dame Cressida Dick said 147 of her colleagues have been coughed at and another 51 spat at by people claiming to have coronavirus since the start of the pandemic.
She said around 10,000 fines have now been handed out in London for breaches of regulations since restrictions came into force in March, with the rate of tickets issued up during the latest wave.
Dame Cressida has now backed an open letter sent from the Police Federation of England and Wales to officials in Westminster and the Welsh Assembly, which said failing to vaccinate officers would be a deep betrayal .
He said: He was a great bloke, very affable and sociable. He will be sorely missed.
Deputy leader of Redbridge Council, Kam Rai, said he was a dedicated public servant and one of the good guys and recalled their time together playing football.
He said: [He was] a really lovely guy who d keep the peace when the rest of us would argue over something silly. His death is a shock and he ll be missed by everyone.
Sukhi was one of a group of us who played football together. A really lovely guy who’d keep the peace when the rest of us would argue over something silly! His death is a shock and he’ll be missed by everyone, a huge loss to the @metpoliceuk. Thoughts are with his family. https://t.co/ZqKwufCIBh Kam Rai (@KamRai7) January 27, 2021
Failure to prioritise the vaccination of frontline police officers against Covid-19 would be a deep betrayal and will not be forgiven or forgotten , federation leaders have warned.
An open letter has been sent from all 43 branches of the Police Federation of England and Wales to officials in Westminster and the Welsh Assembly.
The groups reacted angrily after Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Monday that police officers would not be prioritised over the groups already identified for getting vaccines first.
The Police Federations of England and Wales have described the failure to prioritise frontline officers for vaccines as a deep betrayal. Pictured: Camden PC John Fabrizi (left) and colleague PC Michael Warren (right) from the territorial support group who both died last month
Decision not to prioritise vaccine for police an insult says Federation
As reports of police dying of Covid grow, Federation officials questions why Government is not keeping frontline officers safe
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