Jail Should Be Mandatory For Attacking Police Officers

Courts need to hand automatic jail sentences to criminals who attack and injure police if assaults on officers in the UK are to decrease, South Yorkshire Police Federation has warned.

The number of assaults is still on the rise, with 134 officers attacked every day in the UK, according to the latest figures. There were 14,768 convictions for assault against an emergency worker in the year to June 2025, a 12% increase on the same period the year before.

“This is very concerning and more needs to be done about this,” Federation Chair Steve Kent warned.

“The only way we’re going to deal with this is harsh automatic sentencing for anyone who assaults and injures an officer, and for it to be an immediate custodial sentence.

“We are still seeing people get suspended sentences and fines for assaults, and that’s just not acceptable. If word got round on the street that if you give a cop a black eye or a bloody nose you’re going to prison, then you watch the attitude change.”

Steve praised South Yorkshire Police for its successes with Operation Hampshire – the national policing framework designed to improve how forces respond to officer and staff assaults.

He added: “The force really follows things through and makes appeals with the Crown Prosecution Service when necessary, and that may actually explain some of the increases in the figures, as this could be encouraging people to come forward and report assaults.

“But officers are facing a perfect storm on the streets. They are facing a public who think it is acceptable to assault police officers, while being afraid to use force because of the undue scrutiny they are facing. It is a nightmare.”

Steve called for more support for officers and to push back when they are criticised for apparently using excessive force.

“They are just trying to protect themselves and others,” he concluded.