COVID support officers have been out on Isle of Wight streets helping residents and business keep safe – with no enforcemnt powers but with powers of persuasion.
As people head to the Island’s town centres for Christmas shopping, some of the council’s officers have been monitoring busy areas, reminding people of the safety measures as well as advising businesses on the best way to comply with current restrictions.
Isle of Wight Council leader, Councillor Dave Stewart, said it has been good seeing the support officers out and about in the community, using their ‘powers of persuasion’ as they do not have enforcement powers, like the police, to keep things in order. He said:
“They have been working closely with the police and there is a really good level of communication through the agencies.
“So far, I am not aware of any critical or negative attitudes they have had to put up with, a number of these officers are staff who have changed roles to do that so they are being well-received.
“We found in the summer when we did the beach marshals that the public was really pleased and it gave them that bit of reassurance. I think the same thing happened here.
“It is really a good team effort and it is all feeding into that role we have now to keep those levels down so it was a good call to have them and we are pleased to have done that.”
Director of public health for the Island, Simon Bryant, said the officers were doing what they need to do and will be helpful understanding the local situation, should further action need to be taken.
“So far, I am not aware of any critical or negative attitudes they have had to put up with, a number of these officers are staff who have changed roles to do that so they are being well-received.”
Have not been paying attention then.
No thank you… to your stasi style law enforcement agents in the UK.
They are here because of covidiots like you.
Quite.
It’s very rare I agree with the real islander, but I do100%.
More fool you.
“We found in the summer when we did the beach marshals that the public was really pleased and it gave them that bit of reassurance. I think the same thing happened here.”
I saw the ‘Beach Marshalls’ on patrol during the summer. They were indeed staff who would normally have been employed elsewhere. However, I did not see them being particularly ‘dynamic’ in engaging with people, more enjoying a stroll in the glorious summer sunshine.
Can’t say I blame them though, not many people take kindly to someone ‘advising’ them on the obvious!
Stasi on the Isle of Wight. Nice.
Stasi on the Isle of Wight then. Nice!
No, people trying to keep us safe.They should have the power to fine the covidiots who refuse to follow the rules and put the rest of us at risk.
More little Hitlers to contend with
No, people trying to keep us safe.They should have the power to fine the covidiots who refuse to follow the rules and put the rest of us at risk.
Go live in north Korea if You want to live like that .
Safe from what ?
They should have the power to fine those covididiots who refuse to follow the rules and put the rest of us at risk.
Or fine the lying tw**ts that are in charge of this fear mongering.