Chief pledges support after surge in violence
BY JANE HAMILTON Crime Reporter
ATTACKS on Scottish police officers have soared during lockdown, with 20 assaults being recorded every day.
The figures, released by Police Scotland, came as Chief Constable Iain Livingstone pledged his support to officers facing violence.
A campaign has been launched by the force to provide frontline officers and staff with training and to encourage more officers to come forward when they are attacked.
Police Scotland released the statistics which show a huge increase on the five-year average.
During the first quarter of 2020-21, there were 1775 recorded assaults on officers and staff – about 20 a day on average – up by 7.2 per cent year on year and 22.7 per cent on the five-year average.
Livingstone has said he will provide police staff with “the training and tools you need to do your job safely”.
Yesterday, we revealed the Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, demanded a crackdown on thugs who attack police and are not prosecuted.
The federation said recorded assaults on officers rose by almost 88 per cent, from 898 to 1685, in the last three years.
But at the same time, the Crown Office proceeded with 31 per cent fewer police assault cases.
Just two weeks ago, an officer was choked unconscious while attending an incident in Glasgow, and in June two police officers were taken to hospital with serious injuries after being attacked with a bladed weapon.
Livingstone’s pledge is backed by Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC and Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf.
The chief said: “I have enormous concern about assaults and attacks on police officers and staff, which are disgracefully on the increase.”
Yousaf added that he was “deeply concerned” by the increase in assaults.