Covid: Cleveland Police staff say it is used 'as a weapon'

Officers have been spat at by people claiming to have coronavirus

Coronavirus is being used as a "weapon" against police on Teesside and officers should be vaccinated "now", the union for rank and file staff has said.

Cleveland Police Federation chair Glen Teeley said colleagues had been spat at by people claiming to have the virus.

Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Oldroyd has raised the matter with policing minister Kit Malthouse.

Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said it was likely police would be in phase two of the national vaccine roll-out.

PCC Lisa Oldroyd acknowledged that officers were facing challenging circumstances

Earlier this month, Cleveland Police Chief Constable Richard Lewis also urged the government to prioritise vaccinating frontline staff.

Mr Teeley, who has been a police officer for 20 years, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service some people use the threat of coronavirus to try and avoid arrest.

"Only a few weeks ago somebody was being put in the car and thought it was funny to cough in the officer's face telling them they were Covid positive," he said.

"When they got out of the car they actually spat in the officer's face and said 'you have got Covid now'."

'Can't stay at home'

Mr Teeley said the police did not want to be viewed as a "special group" and it was equally about stopping the spread of coronavirus.

He said: "There are thousands of officers on the street visiting thousands of houses daily and it is what they are taking into those houses that is the problem.

"If you phone 999 we are the people who will walk through your door and you would want to know that they are safe."

Glen Teeley said staff have been hands-on with Covid-positive people from day one

Mr Teeley said the government did not appear to have listened so far, adding: "We want our frontline [officers] inoculated now - the ones responding to emergencies daily.

"There has been no point during the pandemic where we could stay at home, we still have to do our jobs."

Mr Zahawi previously said the "critical role" of certain professions was being considered by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which determines the priority list for approved jabs.