Council told problem is getting worse
Thousands of police officers across the UK have been issued with spit hoods police officers in Scotland last year.
The Blairgowrie and Glens councillor says he has been approached by many of his constituents who are concerned by the “soft touch” approach of the Scottish Government.
The figures were revealed following the tragic murder of PC Andrew Harper who was killed whilst investigating a burglary for Thames Valley Police last week.
Housing and communities committee convener Lib Dem councillor Peter Barrett and Superintendent Elaine Logue both paid tribute to PC Harper and passed on their condolences at this week’s meeting. Cllr Brawn said: “Following the recent events in England and the news that there were over 1600 violent assaults against police officers in Scotland over the last twelve months, many local constituents have expressed their anger and dismay that many of the offenders serve little or no time in prison as a result of the soft touch justice offered by the current Government.
“As their representative, I think it is right and proper that those concerns are passed on to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice.
“Whilst these concerns are from a rural area, I believe they reflect the views of law-abiding citizens all over my ward, Perth and Kinross and Scotland as a whole. Police officers take enormous risks on our behalf and should be awarded the necessary protection from the very law that they uphold.”
CI Scot said being assaulted as a police officer was “nothing particularly new” and simply an “occupational hazard” and they tended to be “minor in nature”. He also said officers were well protected with stampproof vests and sprays.