Nottinghamshire Police have redeployed their schools officers to the frontline due to school closures to most pupils.

The forces’ 11 Schools and Early Intervention Officers (SEIOs) have been moved into neighbourhood policing teams so they can join Op Bion patrols – enforcement of the Covid-19 lockdown.

PC Andrea Gummer, who has been an SEIO since September 2018, is now working as part of the city’s Bulwell Neighbourhood Policing Team.

The forces’ SEIOs remain in regular contact with their schools, especially as some of which remain open to care for vulnerable children, and are able to be called whenever needed.

She said: “Since being redeployed to the beat team I’ve been doing Op Bion patrols around commercial businesses and parks.

“I also assisted the Bulwell Forest beat manager with the arrest and detention of a patient discharged from an NHS hospital.  The patient allegedly coughed repeatedly in the face of a nurse while laughing and stating he had Covid-19.

“I assisted with detention duties of the prisoner as it couldn’t be determined if he had the virus.  I then assisted with the reports required to remand the prisoner into custody for court the next day, having sought a charging approval from the Crown Prosecution Service.”

PC Gummer went on to say: “I have enjoyed working back as a team of officers. My transition to the beat team has been an easy one as, prior to becoming an SEIO, I was a beat manager in Bulwell and Top Valley. 

“Since the closure of the schools I have returned to the beat team I was once a part of so I already knew everyone very well.

“One of the challenges I’ve faced since being re-deployed has been not being up-to-date with current protocol with certain incidents but thanks to support from the force and colleagues I’ve quickly been able to get up to speed.