Every officer should carry a spit guard

SPIT guards should be rolled out to every police officer on the front line to protect them from infectious diseases, South Yorkshire Police Federation has said.

The force has announced that it will introduce the guards for custody officers from January, with a move towards other officers later on, according to Federation Chair Zuleika Payne.

She said: “When you consider the reason why we need to introduce spit guards, and when you consider some of the experiences of officers, then yes, we would say it is a vital piece of kit for frontline officers.

“In an ideal world we would see all officers issued with these and they would be commonplace. They are only going to be used once; once used they are disposed of hygienically.”

“So it is important that we can maintain that and sustain a supply of these for frontline staff.”

Spit guards should not be seen as controversial, as a lot of thought and care has gone into their design and use, Zuleika said. They are crucial in preventing officers from being bitten or contaminated with infectious diseases.

She added: “I am aware of the concerns that are out there in relation to what they are used for and concerns from some civil liberties groups. But having seen the guards I would like to reassure both officers and members of the public that a lot of thought has gone into the actual design of the guard, the construction of them and the colour of them. Ultimately what they will do is protect both police officers and members of the public in the event of an incident in which somebody is spitting.

“It is a huge relief that the organisation has seen fit to actually provide these for officers, and it is vitally important that we protect the protectors, that officers feel valued and that the organisation is concerned with their health, safety and wellbeing. So this has to be a step in the right direction.”