Derbyshire's police chief defends forces decision to send drone over Peak District and for putting black dye into water at quarry site

Derbyshire Police’s chief constable has defended the force’s decision to send a drone over the Peak District following criticism that they were being heavy-handed in their methods of enforcing social distancing.
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Earlier this week, Lord Sumption, a former Justice of the Supreme Court, said the actions of Derbyshire Police "shamed our policing traditions".

The force was also criticised by former Chancellor George Osborne over the move, and for putting black dye into the water at a Derbyshire quarry.

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Speaking to the BBC, Derbyshire's chief constable, Peter Goodman, said the decision to deploy a drone in the Peak District came after supermarkets in villages were emptied and beauty spots were inundated with sightseers.

The force's droneThe force's drone
The force's drone

"Some forces will be doing not enough, perhaps, some forces have probably gone a bit too far and some sit in the middle. Some would say we in Derbyshire have gone too far,” he said.

"I genuinely believe that we haven't because we are trying to do everything through conversation and explanation."

In a later statement, he added: “Following reports that there was an unprecedented number of people, most of whom we believe not to be from Derbyshire, visiting the popular beauty spot Curbar Edge, our drone team were instructed to take footage to establish the extent of the activity.

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“The drone was in the air for a matter of minutes and captured images of individuals who were not identifiable.

Derbyshire police chief Peter Goodman, who has defended the force's decision to end up a drone over the Peak DistrictDerbyshire police chief Peter Goodman, who has defended the force's decision to end up a drone over the Peak District
Derbyshire police chief Peter Goodman, who has defended the force's decision to end up a drone over the Peak District

“The primary role of my officers is the preservation of life. In placing a short 90 second clip on the force’s social media accounts it reached an audience far wider than our self-same messages that had gone completely unreported by national media until that point.”

He also challenged criticism that the constabulary had put black dye into Buxton’s ‘Blue Lagoon’.

“The dyeing of the water is something that has taken place in conjunction with the local council, the landowner and the support of the community, for more than seven years – and is certainly not as a result of the coronavirus outbreak,” he said.