The Commissioner of Police Ian McGrail set out how the RGP is policing the COVID-19 social lockdown regulations at this afternoon’s press conference:

The RGP very quickly set out the style of how we were going to police the emergency regulations – at least for the time being.

Understanding the impact these regulations would have on our population has remained prominent in our minds during our planning to actually implement our style.

We are now on the 16th day of social lockdown and we are content and confident that the style adopted is the right and proper one. A community orientated approach, interacting with the community in a variety of ways and enlisting public support in the process.

Day and night, we are committed to the safety and welfare of all members our community. We are closely monitoring the rapidly changing COVID 19 pandemic and assure you that our dedication to protecting our community is stronger than ever. We continue to review our approach to ensure it is aligned to the advice of Public Health Gibraltar and Government.

The community will continue to have the same level of service from our personnel. We have the ability to change our style if the situation warrants it and I want offer reassurances that the RGP is always prepared to respond to emergencies and help ensure the safety of our community members during this public health crisis.

Our approach is very evident:

We engage - we enquire from people what they are doing out and about. We talk to them and help them understand the restrictions in place.

We Explain - We’ll make it clear we are dealing with a serious health crisis and that they must obey our requests. We will reinforce the need of complying so that their actions and behaviours do not harm others and do not contribute to overwhelming the GHA.

We Encourage - Officers will continue to ask people to comply with the emergency regulations.

We Enforce – As a last resort - failure to comply will mean we will use our powers afforded to us in law.

We can ask you to return home, or even accompany or convey you home to ensure you comply.

In doing this we can employ force, something we certainly do not want to do.

A quick reminder of what the sanctions look like. They are set at a level 5 monetary fine – this is anything between £1 to £10,000. You can actually face further sanctions if you obstruct an officer after he has asked you to comply with his directions. These regulations are already a tough cookie to deal with, please do not make it more awkward for us.

Having said this, I am pleased with the reports from our front line officers that the majority of the population is complying with the emergency regulations which somewhat restrict us from living the normal life we are used to.

The majority of the people are doing the right thing and staying at home, only going out for essential reasons provided for in the emergency regulations.

On behalf of all those involved in the policing operation RGP, GDP and HMC officers, I thank you, I salute you for really getting what we are setting out to do.

I am also very thankful for all the many messages of praise and encouragement we are receiving, both publicly and privately. It certainly motivates us to continue doing what we are doing.

We should not get to the stage where, as a community, we regret seeing our GHA suffer and unable to cope with an unmanageable surge of persons requiring hospitalisation and compromising the lives of fellow members of our community. Together we can, and indeed are, making a difference.

We know how great it is to live in Gibraltar and enjoy what it has to offer but for now that enjoyment as we know it will have to wait.

During the normally good weather that we are likely to enjoy during the Easter break, our beaches and leisure areas would be swamped with families and friends gathering to relax.

This year, regrettably, it will not be possible. This world wide pandemic has caused for normality to stop – and stopped we certainly have.

This coming Easter long weekend break officers will be physically controlling access to the beaches to dissuade persons from venturing to these areas in contravention of the regulations.

It is not the time to lay out your picnic, pitch your sun umbrella, sun bathe or make sun castles. We will allow persons in to the beaches but we will expect them to remain there only for what is a reasonable time under the circumstances and we appeal that the public oblige to this stance. A walk or run on the beach, a quick swim if they fancy that, ….this will be permitted, but that is about it. We are treating the beaches and leisure areas as we would a normal road or street. To an extent applying the same principles that some of our supermarkets are employing to ensure good social distancing.

As we continue to deal with the pandemic, it is up to each one of us to do our part for the safety of our families and those around us.

I fully understand that this a difficult time for everyone, but we need to continue social distancing and isolation when and where necessary to keep the speed the virus is spreading to a manageable pace for the GHA.

Unfortunately, in parallel to the positive response by the majority of the public, our patrols are still seeing groups of young people out in the evening and at night congregating in estate underground parking areas and the likes.There are some adults doing the same too.

I urge and appeal to parents and guardians to speak to the young people in your families and ensure they are aware of the threat this virus poses – the threat does not get more real.

I get it that staying inside together in our homes is stressful and that young people may want to go out and see friends – girl friends missing their boyfriends and vice versa . We get it. But please encourage them to accept personal responsibility for their actions – stay at home and use alternative methods of communication.

We are also facing other issues which we attribute to the stresses brought on by the -confinement measures. These are more nuisance related. Loud music blaring out of windows in estates and causing neighbourly disputes.

I appeal for moderation in this regard. The belief that loud noise can be made right up to 11pm is incorrect. There are limitations provided for in law that make it an offence to make unreasonable noise even before 11pm. I think it is important to bear this mind.

Let me close by reminding everyone of our policing style – We are adopting a pragmatic, proportionate and engaging approach. Enforcement is a last resort but we will certainly apply our powers on those who defiantly opt to ignore or refuse to abide by directions.

Finally, If you have to ask yourself whether it is essential that you have to leave your home, then probably it isn’t. Stay home, your individual actions can make a difference in protecting lives.

From all at the RGP, and I also take the liberty to speak on behalf of all law enforcement partners, I wish all of Gibraltar a peaceful and safe Easter weekend.

Thank you.