Stressful wait for cop
Tests needed after sickening biting attack
A CAIRNS police constable has a nervous wait ahead for the results of disease testing after he was allegedly bitten and spat on during an arrest in what a senior officer labelled a filthy act.
Far North police Chief Superintendent Brett Schafferius described this type of assault as particularly violent.
The 27-year-old officer had been arresting a man who was wanted over another matter.
During the arrest on Wednesday, a 42-year-old Cairns man allegedly bit the officer on the hand, breaking the skin on three fingers, before spitting on him. He will face Cairns Magistrates Court in September charged with the serious assault of a police officer causing bodily harm.
“There can be no excuse whatsoever for any assault of this nature on an officer,” Chief Supt Schafferius.
“The act of spitting is both disgusting and disgraceful and in my view one of the lowest acts one person can do.
“We’re here to help and work with the community.”
There have been 158 charges of serious assault in Cairns this year. Cairns District Crime Prevention Senior Constable Russ Parker said it was a high figure considering most of the victims were police, paramedics, doctors and nurses.
He said a lack of respect for police had become more noticeable in the past 20 years and coincided with a breakdown in society’s values. Spitting was becoming more common.
“That’s a disturbing part of the job,” Sen Constable Parker said. “A lot of these people just don’t know how to conduct themselves and they resort to this sort of behaviour that animals wouldn’t even do, but humans will.”
The officer now has to undergo communicable disease testing and the results can take up to six months.
“It’s a worrying time and high stress time … that’s going to be weighing heavily on him,” Sen Constable Parker said.
“We constantly receive training in dealing with people who behave in that manner.”
Once the officer had been treated, he returned to work.
“I was first spat on in the late 1980s. It was a filthy act then and nothing has changed,” Chief Supt Schafferius said.
“I underwent testing that was required. It was a very worrying time waiting for those results to come back.”
Chief Supt Schafferius commended Far Northern officers and their strength of character.
“The majority of our interactions with the community are positive and regardless we’ll continue to be there for our community,” he said.