Study will examine 1,000 officer assaults

MORE than 1,000 incidents of police officer assaults will be reviewed as part of a study to “develop strategies to reduce risks of officers being assaulted”.

Hampshire Constabulary has received a £10,000 grant from the College of Policing to fund an initial four-month study of assaults against officers, with a view to extending the work on a national scale.

It is estimated that 23,000 police officers in England and Wales were assaulted last year. That is 63 a day.

The grant will allow Hampshire to employ a researcher from a local university to gather and analyse a sample of internal records of assaults against officers.

The researcher will take information from a range of databases to develop a detailed picture of the nature of the circumstances surrounding assaults on officers. This information can help the force to develop strategies to reduce the risk to officers of being assaulted.

The researcher will draw on learning from the Hampshire approach to scope the potential for extending the study to other forces and exploring how the data could be used for national analysis to improve the evidence base on officer safety.

College of Policing research lead Nerys Thomas said: “Police officers go out every day knowing they could be placing themselves in danger but this doesn’t mean that an assault on an officer is ever acceptable. As the professional body for policing, we want to ensure officers are protected while they’re doing their jobs.

“This new research could result in a more detailed understanding of the picture of assaults on officers, which would inform the development of strategies to better protect officers.

“Hampshire Constabulary has already made officer safety a priority and I’m looking forward to working with them with a view to taking this issue nationwide.”

John Apter, chairman of the Hampshire Police Federation, said: “Along with the chief constable I’ve been working hard to ensure assaults on police officers and members of staff are given the priority they deserve and that officers and staff who have been assaulted receive the support they need.

“With this support from the College of Policing, I am hoping we will get a much clearer and accurate picture of the true level of assaults on our officers and staff, which can only improve the work we have started.”