A police chief has echoed calls to stay home and save lives as he warned police will continue to bring criminals to justice.

Eastern Daily Press: Lowestoft Town Police Superintendent, Paul Sharp. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodLowestoft Town Police Superintendent, Paul Sharp. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Superintendent Paul Sharp, of Suffolk Police, thanked the Waveney community for their cooperation as the country enters its second week of lockdown in a bid to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Supt Sharp said his Lowestoft-based team was continuing to protect its local communities.

He said: “The world has changed but we are not going away. We have got a job to do and I have got a dedicated and hardworking set of staff who will keep people safe. We are still here to keep people safe, but everyone has a part to play. Stay at home and help the NHS.

“I would like to thank everyone locally who has been following the advice. It seems the vast majority of people in our communities are adhering to the government guidelines. The most important thing is that it can save a life and that’s a powerful thing.”

Supt Sharp, however, had a warning for potential offenders.

He said: “Criminals should not be viewing this time as an opportunity. We will do all we can to protect people and businesses as always.

“We are still out and about fighting crime, on patrol and engaging with people, and we will still bring people to justice.”

While other police forces in the country have reported incidents of large gatherings, Supt Sharp says people in the Waveney community have been largely compliant with the message to stay home.

He said: “We don’t know how long this will be in place for but it isn’t a decision that would have been taken without a great deal of thought and we will keep monitoring developments as they are happening.

“We will continue to police the new legislation and encourage people to do the right thing. We are working collectively with our partners and if people need to contact us, we will be there.

“The advice in terms of what we need to do applies to everyone, so we are continuing to police our communities while taking measures around social distancing.

“There will be some of our staff in self-isolation and working from home where possible. We want to reassure the community that we will do all we can to keep people safe, but everyone has a part to play.”