Covid: Self-isolation 'crippling' Cleveland Police

The number of Cleveland Police officers self-isolating is "crippling" the front line, a police association has warned.

Cleveland Police Federation chairman Glen Teeley said the force was "running on overtime" and close to minimum levels of staff.

The government is due to announce which fully vaccinated critical workers in England will be able to avoid isolation by taking daily tests instead.

Cleveland Police has been approached for comment.

Mr Teeley said the Covid-related staffing issue had come at "the busiest time of the year when everyone's got annual leave".

"To have five or six people have to self-isolate because one of their colleagues has tested positive is just crippling us - and we're having to police it all with overtime," he said.

The force covers large parts of the Tees Valley which has overtaken neighbouring Tyne and Wear to have the most local authority areas with the highest infection rates in England.

Redcar and Cleveland and Middlesbrough had the two highest weekly case rates of any English local authority, at 1,422 cases per 100,000 population and 1,281 respectively, in the week to 15 July.

Limits on how many people can meet and the legal requirement to wear masks ended on Monday but rules on self-isolation remain.

From 16 August, fully vaccinated people will be able to take a PCR test instead of isolating if a close contact tests positive.

Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Steve Turner has written to Health Secretary Sajid Javid to ask that daily tests replace isolation for officers immediately, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The Conservative commissioner said there were plans in place to deal with the situation but "without swift action from the government, that could disintegrate".

"There is a very real danger that we are risking the lives and safety of our residents while we force fit and healthy emergency workers to sit at home, rather than bring forward legislation that is due to come into force anyway," he said.

Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].