Shocking new figures reveal that in 2019/20, there were over 30,000 assaults on police officers in England & Wales.
The figures do not include statistics from Greater Manchester Police but do include statistics from the British Transport Police.
Of the more than 30,000 recorded incidents, 20,269 were crimes of “assault without injury on a constable”.
This is an increase of 3.3% compared with the previous reporting period (19,615).
10,410 crimes of “assault with injury on a constable” were recorded, which is an increase of 2.3%.
The data source for assaults on police officers is the police recorded crime series, which are published quarterly in “Crime in England and Wales”, released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The data shows that between 2006 and 2012, there was a steady decrease in the number of police officers being assaulted whilst on duty.
Between 2012 and 2014, the numbers started to remain more-or-less the same.
However, from 2014 onwards there has been a steady rise, year-on-year, in the number of police officers being assaulted.
The ambulance service, as well as the fire & rescue service, have also noted an increase in the number of their staff being assaulted and/or coming under attack.
Most NHS Ambulance Trusts in England & Wales have either issued their staff with body-worn video camera’s or have trialled them in a bid to deter members of the public from assaulting emergency ambulance crews.
The National Fire Chiefs Council have also recently looked at potentially issuing firefighters with body-worn cameras after seeing a spike in the number of assaults being reported.
The government has recently announced an increase in sentencing for individuals who are found guilty of assaulting an emergency worker from 12 to 24 months.
In the last 12 months alone, eight people have been arrested on suspicion of the attempted murder of a police officer.
Only last week, a male was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after four Metropolitan Police officers were seriously injured after their vehicle was hit by another car.
On 15th October, a male was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a police officer was repeatedly stabbed.
On 14th September, another male was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after another police officer was stabbed.
Only three days before, on 11th September, a Devon & Cornwall Police officer was airlifted to hospital with severe burn injuries after he was attacked.
A male was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following the incident.
On 7th May, a male was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after another Metropolitan police officer was stabbed.
The officer was attacked by his assailant following a fail to stop in NW9.
On 23rd April, another male was arrested on suspicion of the attempted murder of a police officer and with arson with intent to endanger life.
On 14th April, a male was arrested on suspicion of the attempted murder of a police officer following a series of stabbing in Glasgow city centre.
In October 2019, a man was arrested suspicion of the attempted murder of a police officer after a Met Armed Response Vehicle officer was seriously injured in Tottenham.
On the 25th September, Met Police Sergeant Matiu ‘Matt’ Ratana was shot and killed after he went to check on the welfare of a suspected drug dealer who had been arrested only hours before.
The tragic death of PS Ratana came just over 12 months after three thieves killed PC Andrew Harper as he responded to a 999 call that was made by the victim of a burglary.
Both the government and the CPS have previously said that they will be coming down hard on individuals who are convicted of assaulting an emergency worker.
However, many emergency services personnel feel that there is a disconnect between this sentiment and the sentences which are often handed out to the individuals who are found guilty of such offences.
Since Emergency Services News started back in November 2018, we have been recording the most severe assaults inflicted upon emergency workers.
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All police officers should have the right to carry a Taser and be encouraged to use it. Fire personnel should be allowed to use their hoses as water cannon. If people are going to attack those who dedicate their lives to protecting us, they should have the right to hit back really hard.
Once they have been bowled down the road by a fire hose, they can then be tased if still misbehaving, arrested and locked up for a minimum of 6 months, more if the behaviour warrants it, with each successive conviction attracting a minimum of double the preceding sentence.
This nonsense would very quickly stop and society would be all the better for it.
Violence to eradicate violence is not the answer, but to be an absolute hypocrite, yes, I do feel that emergency service personnel who do use violence against their aggressors in order to protect themselves and the general law abiding public should not be put at risk of prosecution for their actions…
I will point out however that if the Judiciary and the Government were to impose more heavy and stringent penalties to protect those that are out there to protect us, then maybe, just maybe, our emergency services wouldn’t have to resort to such practices to protect themselves….