Coronavirus marshals patrol Bristol as thousands reported for breaching lockdown rules
Police and council coronavirus marshals have been on patrols in areas of Bristol where infections rates or reported breaches of restrictions have been high.
Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 10,500 coronavirus rule breaches reported in Bristol. This has resulted in 186 fines being issued, 48 of which have been handed out in the second lockdown.
Avon and Somerset Constabulary officers will continue working with Bristol City Council's Covid-19 marshals every week.
Covid marshals deployed in Bristol to report lockdown breaches
Covid marshals deployed across Gloucestershire to ensure public safety
Inspector Mark Runacres said: "We get how difficult this has been for people and I myself am a citizen in the city and we understand how this restrictions impact on people.
"So we're not looking to be heavy-handed, but we do need to ensure that people are doing what's being asked of them because the consequences are so apparent for all to see."
During the first coronavirus wave Bristol had some of the lowest infection rates in England but now it has some of the highest. Before the second lockdown the rate per 100,000 was well above 450.
Only now has the rate reduced to 390.2 per 100,000. The reported rate represents 1,808 positive cases reported for Bristol over the past 7 days within a population of over 463,000 people.
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