In and out of Devon's newest nick
Some crime's down. Others are up. But what's it like policing in Devon during the corona crisis?
Take a journey with Sergeant Carlo Towl in this short video, taking a look inside the new police HQ cells at Middlemoor, holding a man on suspicion of spitting at a paramedic. Four officers in full PPE are needed to work on that one.
Exeter's homeless population have been offered accommodation, but the issues are complex, their mental health in particular needing support. Sgt Towl attends after reports of half a dozen people drinking in South Street in the city centre. The people do have a place to stay and are sent back to it, although at least one person is taken into custody. Social distancing whilst interacting with people on the streets proves all but impossible.
"It's been a trying shift," the Exeter copper concludes, after ending with yet another spitting attack on an emergency worker. "Out key aim, and the whole point is to keep people safe," Sgt Towl says. "It sounds cliched, but it's true."
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