Derry commander Emma Bond says probe under way over staff stay-at-home during COVID-19 peak

Derry police commander, Chief Superintendent Emma Bond, said a number of officers were detailed to stay at home rather than attend for duty for two weeks in April.

She said one of the consequences of this was that an 'enhanced level of policing' was not achieved at the height of the COVID-19 outbreak and that the unauthorised police detail was ended as soon as it came to the attention of senior management.

The local police chief said an internal examination was now being conducted to ascertain what happened and whether or not the officers had done anything wrong.

“As part of the policing response to the COVID-19 pandemic the Police Service took a range of steps to disperse members of staff, allow for home working and also maximise the number of police officers available for duty.

"On April 28 senior officers were informed that since April 13 in Derry City and Strabane District Command Unit, police officers have been detailed to stay at home and remain on standby to return to work rather than attend for duty.

"This practice is not one that has been endorsed by the senior management of the Police Service and now has been brought to an immediate end. During this period police numbers on duty did not dip below pre-COVID levels but the consequence was that an enhanced level of policing was not achieved.

"An examination of the circumstances that led to the officers being detailed to stay at home has commenced to establish how this happened and establish if any officers have done anything wrong," she said.