A POLICE officer somewhere in the UK is assaulted by a member of the public every 27 minutes.<\/p>\n
In South Yorkshire Police, force statistics show 66 officers were assaulted in 2012\/13 compared to 79 in 2011\/12 and 65 the previous year.\u00a0Neil Bowles, chairman of South Yorkshire Police Federation, (pictured) said the real figures were likely to be far higher but the way the force records officer assaults makes it difficult to identify how many have actually been attacked.<\/p>\n
More than 19,600 police officers in 44 United Kingdom police forces were assaulted in the last financial year. This adds up to 54 officers every day.<\/p>\n
The numbers will be higher as The City of London and North Yorkshire Police did not provide figures under the Freedom of Information Act request for 2012\/13.<\/p>\n
Mr Bowles added: \u201cThe Home Secretary announced that criminals who kill police officers in England and Wales will face compulsory whole life sentences. I think there should be a minimum prison sentence for anyone found guilty of assaulting a police officer. It is an assault on society.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf a judge was able to jail a man for 18 months for pulling off his wig the day after it happened, an officer who has been assaulted should be treated similarly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paul Graham, 27, of Haverhill, Suffolk, was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Tuesday 3 June at Ipswich Crown Court, 24 hours after attacking Judge John Devaux in the same building.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy should we go to work and get assaulted?\u201d says Karen Stephens, speaking on behalf of the Police Federation of England and Wales.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe majority of people joined the job because they want to help people and put baddies away. Not to get assaulted.\u201d<\/p>\n
Why does she think officers are being targeted at such alarming rates? \u201cThere is a lack of officers on the streets,\u201d she states. \u201cThe ones that are there are single crewed. If someone is turning up to a fight and they are going on their own then the people who are fighting generally turn on the police officer\u2026 and when there is only one of you, that is not a good situation to be in. If you are double crewed, at least there is somebody there to cover your back.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is also a lack of respect for authority \u2013 which is a social thing unfortunately.\u201d<\/p>\n
Across England and Wales, the Met had the largest number of officer assaults in the past financial year with 1,493. Greater Manchester Police was next with 802 and then Thames Valley Police with 560.<\/p>\n
Given the size of its force \u2013 less than 2,000 officers \u2013 Hertfordshire had a high amount of assaults with 451 in the last financial year.<\/p>\n
The largest force figures came from the eight forces that now make up Police Scotland, who endured 5,555 assaults last year and constables in the Police Service of Northern Ireland were attacked 3,589 times.<\/p>\n
\u201cAttacks on police officers are totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated,\u201d said a spokesman for the Home Office. \u201cOfficers do a difficult job protecting our communities and keeping crime down so it is right that we have laws in place to punish those who try to do them harm.\u201d<\/p>\n
A spokeswoman for ACPO said: \u201cThe safety of police officers and staff is a critical concern for all chief officers. The job of a police officer involves risk and we know that many of our people show incredible courage and dedication in placing themselves at risk of harm in discharging their duties.<\/p>\n
\u201cOfficer training and equipment is always developing and improving and it can help police officers risk assess situations and respond effectively.\u201d<\/p>\n
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