COVID marshals: What are coronavirus compliance officers and what will they do?
Boris Johnson has announced a team of “COVID-secure” marshals to help enforce the stricter new rules that were announced on Wednesday.
With social gatherings limited to six people from Monday, the prime minister attempted to simplify the rules on what is permitted during the coronavirus pandemic.
It is unclear specifically what role the new marshals will perform and what powers they will have.
But the PM said they will be based in town and city centres, where there are large numbers of bars and restaurants, which will be restricted on group sizes from next week.
Who are COVID marshals?
Speaking on Wednesday, Johnson said: “We will boost the local enforcement capacity of local authorities by introducing COVID-secure marshals to help ensure social distancing in town and city centres, and by setting up a register of environmental health officers that local authorities can draw upon for support.”
Transport secretary Grant Shapps also said on Thursday that street wardens who patrol local town centres “would be helpful to support this activity”.
He told BBC Breakfast that these people “could be moved” into acting as COVID marshals.
They will be given local authority high visibility uniforms, badges, and clipboards so that the public are aware of who they are.
What will they do?
Johnson said that the marshals will help to enforce social distancing rules to help stop the spread of coronavirus.
Shapps suggested that the marshals would remind people of the rules when out and about – including encouraging face masks when entering shops and providing more information about what the law states.
As they are there to enforce social distancing guidelines, it is expected that they will also make sure people are keeping apart and walking along appropriate routes.
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Will they be paid?
The government has not set out details of what the role will pay, but some reports suggest they could receive around £30,000 a year.
When will they appear on the streets?
While the new law on social gatherings comes into force from Monday, the marshals will not be starting at the same time.
The government have yet to say when they will be seen on Britain’s streets and town centres.
Covid Marshals sound like utterly horrendous busybodies that don’t belong in a free society like ours. Awful.
— Darren Grimes (@darrengrimes_) September 9, 2020
“Covid-secure marshals” pic.twitter.com/KQAaCRM7W0
— Simon (@LDNCalling) September 9, 2020
Covid marshals pic.twitter.com/KEjuDi5z28
— Simon Cooke (@SimonMagus) September 9, 2020
The new Covid marshals pic.twitter.com/YUbnRt5DRi
— Jacob Collier (@jacob_collier_) September 9, 2020
What if we all become Covid Marshals, then direct ourselves to do what we like.
— (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) September 10, 2020
Covid Marshals are just going to be the grown up version of school corridor monitors aren't they. pic.twitter.com/M42GxleAAZ
— Tom Harwood (@tomhfh) September 10, 2020
What has the reaction been to the announcement?
Social media users were quick to mock the announcement, with some describing them as sounding like the “worst sort of busybodies”.
Madeleine Stone, the legal officer for privacy and civil liberties campaigners Big Brother Watch, said that COVID marshals reporting on neighbourhoods “undermines the community spirit that has been critical during the pandemic”.
She added to Yahoo News UK: “We’ve seen serious examples of police over-stepping the law already. The last thing we need now is marshals patrolling towns and cities to monitor and police us without any legal authority.
“This is an excessive and authoritarian approach to public health."
A spokesperson from the human rights group Liberty told Yahoo News UK that they “will be keeping an eye on the restrictions over the next few days”.
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