Belfast residents say Covid-19 police have been on the streets checking credentials of the public.
Armed officers dressed in white overalls and masks were speaking to locals on Limestone Rd, North Belfast on Tuesday just hours after a police chief said patrol numbers were to increase with immediate effect.
One resident said: “We think in general it’s a good thing to have these officers doing this work.
“It might save a life, it could save our whole Community. People need to wise up and take notice of what Boris Johnson said.
“There’s no politics involved in this. Everyone is at risk.
“The police were on Limesrone Rd today (Tuesday) and they chatted to the people who were walking on the road.
“At first we thought they were forensic officers but then we were spoken to by them and asked what we were doing.
“We were told that it’s safest to be at home and they said we were only allowed out for shopping and that when the law came in they’d be asking to see the shopping and the receipts. Although I don’t know how that works if you’re going shopping rather than coming back.
“I think the majority of people support this love and the officers were fine. “
Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd said yesterday that new legislation was imminent.
It is expected new measures will be in place on Thursday to enable the PSNI to disperse groups and fine members of the public who they deem should be at home during the Covid-19 national emergency.
Belfast Live contacted the PSNI for comment.
