450 police assaults a week – but could there be more?

THERE were 23,394 assaults on police officers in England and Wales in 2014/15 – that’s 64 a day.

In South Yorkshire Police, there were 61 “self reported” assaults and 204 assaults without injury on a constable recorded in the past year.

Hampshire Fed chairman John Apter, who long called for the publication of the figures, wants total recorded crime figures used because he says they paint a better picture.

Just 15 provided the Home Office with this information.

He told PoliceOracle.com: “Only a third of forces provided the credible crime data so again it is a guess at the true level of violence being used against our officers and staff.

“I’m pleased after the work we started that the Home Office requested credible crime data but I’m disappointed that only a third of forces from England and Wales have supplied data.

“That suggests it’s a not a full picture.

“I would ask every single chief constable: why would you not want to know the true level of violence against your officers and staff?

“Once you know the real scale of the problem you can start to deal with it.”