Protests - why aren’t police wearing masks

[TingTastic]

From the footage I’ve seen, police attending the protests in London aren’t wearing masks. This is despite being elbow to elbow with their colleagues and nose to nose with protestors. Surely this is incredibly risky? Why wouldn’t they be wearing protective equipment?

Round here (rural) they’re supplied with one disposable mask per shift so they don’t generally wear one on duty. That said, policing a riot is very different so surprised they not wearing them on the whole.

Police have never worn masks.
It’s been a mystery to me since this started.

DH and I have always joked they must have been vaccinated.

Some of them are and some of them aren’t. I don’t know why. Either it’s personal choice, or possibly they want to have their faces free because they think it will benefit in a different way.

I understand that face coverings could impede their work, but clear plastic visors would work in this regard and I don’t see any good reason why they can’t wear those.

It seems there’s a macho disregard by the Police for Covid, as though they are somehow “above it” and somehow immune from catching it and passing it on to others. It’s typical of the UK’s lackadaisical response to Covid compared to elsewhere.

It seems there’s a macho disregard by the Police for Covid, as though they are somehow “above it” and somehow immune from catching it and passing it on to others.

It's because they aren't properly equipped, if they were many would be over the moon to be able to wear them on duty rather than put themselves at risk. Blame the government rather than the police.

I haven’t seen any police locally wearing masks at any point throughout the pandemic... just like not one worker in our local supermarkets have been wearing masks.

And yet they all seem okay. (Presumably, if they started to see their colleagues dropping like flies they would start wearing masks, even home made ones...)

Although in pictures of the protests I have seen some police in masks.

It's because they aren't properly equipped, if they were many would be over the moon to be able to wear them on duty rather than put themselves at risk. Blame the government rather than the police.

Is it though? PPE was a scandal a month or so ago, but it’s largely sorted (I work with someone who’s in charge of PPE procurement for a Local
Authority) ... I’m pretty sure the Police weren’t wearing visors because the Met hadn’t ordered any.

It will be because their employers haven’t got the equipment

Nothing stopping them wearing their own masks though like the rest of the population is being asked to.

I would have thought that even in normal times they would wee visors -look at riot police in other countries eg France.

Good point OP.

It’s typical of the UK’s lackadaisical response to Covid compared to elsewhere

I think that will be your reason there ^

I chatted to my cousin in the States, and where she is, masks were mandatory from early on, and if you went to the supermarket, masks were being provided free for all who entered the store.

Nothing stopping them wearing their own masks though like the rest of the population is being asked to.

There almost certainly is... They are in uniform and can’t accessorise like a rebellious pupil! My understanding is they have a policy of no face coverings.

Yes, seems likely that they’re not allowed to wear self-provided masks.

So it’s similar to the equipment provision failures in the NHS/care homes.

Nothing stopping them wearing their own masks though like the rest of the population is being asked to.

Of course there is. The same reason as the military can't, because they have a uniform.

Some of the police at yesterday’s US Embassy protest were wearing masks. So I don’t think it’s lack of PPE or not being allowed.

It will be because their employers haven’t got the equipment

No, it’s a policy decision.... as usual the UK is embarrassingly behind the curve.

All the police who were wearing masks were in plain black cloth masks, btw.

So it’s similar to the equipment provision failures in the NHS/care homes.

Back in April this was an issue and major scandal. PPE has been available for weeks now... This is because the Government’s position - until last Thursday - has been the face coverings are unnecessary, even in a packed tube train!

A policy decision by who, police employers?

To clarify... unnecessary in non-clinical settings.

A policy decision by who, police employers?

Yes, senior police officers.

I think wearing a mask while being attacked by an angry mob gives the angry mob one more thing to grab on to

They would have to have fire proof face coverings that also couldn't be used to strangle the officers I should imagine they're difficult to procure. Anything else would be a much more immediate risk than covid.

I asked my BIL this (Met police officer) .He has access to masks, but he said he wouldn’t have been able to wear one in the situations we saw over the weekend as communication between officers is key and by struggling to communicate they could put themselves and others in more danger.
Helmets with visors are only issued to riot trained police so it’s not like they have loads of those hanging around.
He is a detective so not a uniformed officer these days. When carrying out enquiries he and his team are wearing the masks supplied but as far as he knows there is not a met police policy on this.
Lots of his colleagues have had Covid 19.
There are also no risk assessments or social distancing for their offices.
This is not the fault of on the ground police officers. They are putting themselves at risk to do their job with not much help from their employer.