Savage attacks on police officers revealed
APRISONER left two Cheshire police detectives needing time off work after biting and attacking them with handcuffs on the M62.
The shocking incident was revealed in a review of officer safety published by the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the College of Policing.
In a section of case studies covering in-car protection, it said the “normally compliant” prisoner launched his attack while the vehicle was in the motorway fast lane, and he used the handcuffs restraining his wrists to hit the vehicle’s driver, who pulled over but suffered “grievous bodily harm level” injuries.
The second detective constable (DC) helped to restrain the violent thug and both DCs needed time off afterwards.
Their attacker was jailed for 14 years for a variety of offences, the report said.
No details of when the assault took place were given, and other case studies in the chapter from around the country dated back as far as 2006 – referring to a horrendous fatal collision when a prisoner in Northumberland leant forward and pulled the handbrake in a car, killing a police constable, and resulting in a fiveand-a-half years in prison for manslaughter for his killer.
The review said Cheshire’s officers have the most personal safety training in the country, at 16 hours a year.
Following the report’s publication, Cheshire Constabulary said it has “pledged its commitment to enhancing the safety” of its officers.
A force spokeswoman said an action plan has been produced in light of the review’s findings.
This includes training and wellbeing support, equipment and operational response, criminal justice outcomes and roads policing and officer safety.
T h e spokeswoman said the constabulary has recorded 637 assaults on officers in the last 12 months, with or without injury, equating to more than 50 assaults a month.
More than 40,000 officers and staff nationwide completed the survey amid concerns about what the spokeswoman said was “a rising number of assaults and increased violence” against officers.
The review also included a recommendation to research racial disparities in the use of Tasers and restraint on black people.
The spokeswoman said Chief Constables’ Council agreed all 28 recommendations earlier this year, but the report’s publication was delayed due to the pandemic.
Halton has experienced serious assaults on officers in recent years including part of a constable’s ear being bitten off and a police community support officer who was stabbed while investigating a fight in some woods.
Chief Constable Darren Martland said the goal of adopting the review’s recommendations was to make a “real difference” to officer safety.
He said: “Any attack on a police officer is shocking but recent incidents across the country serve as a stark reminder of the dangers that they face on a daily basis.
“As Chief Constable of Cheshire the safety of my officers is of paramount importance and I am committed to doing all I can to ensure that they are properly trained and equipped
with the tools that they need to do their job effectively.
“That is why the force is supporting this national review, commissioned by the National Police Chiefs’ Council.
“It will complement the work that we already carry out to assess and mitigate the threats and risk our officers face.”
He added: “The impact of an assault on an officer should not be underestimated – not only does this have an effect on their physical and mental wellbeing it also potentially takes an officer off the streets for a period of time putting added pressure on others to uphold the level of service we strive to provide to the communities of Cheshire.
“I am committed to ensuring that as a force we are doing everything we can to reduce the risk to our officers. However, in cases where an officer is assaulted on duty we will make sure they receive all the necessary support from the Constabulary and, where appropriate, action is taken against offenders and they are brought to justice.
“It is important to remember that attacking an emergency services worker is a criminal offence and can result in a jail sentence.”
David Keane, Cheshire’s police and crime commissioner, said he supported the changes.
He said: “No officer or PCSO (police community support officer) should go to work expecting to be attacked but, sadly, this is becoming an increasingly regular occurrence.
“Individuals working on the frontline put themselves at risk every day to protect Cheshire residents, therefore it’s vital they are provided with the right training and appropriate equipment to allow them to carry out their roles safely.
“I will ensure these changes are providing the best protection for our officers and staff.”