OFFICERS need consistent support when they have been assaulted, so that they don\u2019t \u201cslip through the net\u201d.<\/p>\n
South Yorkshire Police Federation Chairman Steve Kent was speaking after the College of Policing agreed to roll-out a nationwide programme to support officers who have been attacked.<\/p>\n
Steve said: \u201cThere should be a minimum standard across the board. If individual forces want to put in a bespoke service for officers, we\u2019d encourage it.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur force has tried to manage assaults on police officers, but we still hear about people dropping through the net due to individual cases of poor management and other factors. There needs to be a minimum standard so there\u2019s an expectation, and then we should encourage our local managers to go above and beyond that as and when they can.<\/p>\n
Steve said it would be great to have a consistent \u201csafety net\u201d, but he hoped South Yorkshire Police could \u201cgo beyond that\u201d.<\/p>\n
The College of Policing has appointed Metropolitan Police Chief Inspector Dave Brewster on a six-month secondment to promote consistency of support across the country and to help forces work on their post-assault care. He has led the Metropolitan Police\u2019s \u2018Operation Hampshire\u2019 programme since 2016.<\/p>\n
Operation Hampshire sets out the plan and principles around ensuring officers get the right level of physical and mental support they need after traumatic assaults and it works to get the justice they deserve as victims.<\/p>\n
Government data shows there were 30,679 assaults on police officers in England and Wales last year, which equates to 590 a week. This year has been particularly bad, with a high level of COVID-related assaults.<\/p>\n