Cop attack scale revealed
FIGURES obtained by an independent local election candidate have revealed the shocking scale of assaults on police officers in Halton.
Last year an offence was recorded about once every three days, with 128 counted during 2017.
The rate was lower in 2016 on 70 assaults on officers, about one every five days.
To the end of September this year, 81 have been recorded, which means the total will reach about 108 if the same rate continues to the end of 2018.
Common forms of assault on officers include physical attacks and spitting.
The figures were provided by Cheshire police following a Freedom Of Information Act request from independent local election candidate Darrin Whyte. Mr Whyte was alarmed by the figures. He said: “Assaults on emergency workers as a whole is unacceptable these figures are shocking.
“I think it is down to a lack of respect, you see it across the board, not just police officers but teachers and nurses.
“Let’s be honest, they have to put themselves in that position because no ● one else is going to.
“This must have a significant impact on the officers and the organisation.
“Once upon a time it was quite rare and now it has become the norm.”
Innovations being introduced to reduce assaults include the addition of body-worn cameras to officers’ kit.
Training began in August and rollout is due to be complete by the year’s end.
The initiative was announced on August 2 after Cheshire Police And Crime Commissioner David Keane approved the funding.
The devices are not only believed to reduce the number of assaults on officers but academic research has suggested the cameras reduce reports of alleged police misconduct.
Nationally, the Police Federation’s Protect The Protectors campaign has resulted in Royal Assent being granted in September to create the Assaults On Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018, which classes offences as ‘aggravated’ when committed against emergency workers during the course of their duty.
It also makes it a crime for suspects accused of assaulting an emergency worker to refuse to provide ‘intimate’ samples.
The bill was sponsored by Labour’s MP Chris Bryant and Baroness Donaghy.