PROTECTING police officers from an \u201calarming\u201d number of assaults must be a priority for forces and the Government, the Chair of South Yorkshire Police Federation has said.<\/p>\n
As a number of forces around the country continue to roll out spit guards to their officers, Zuleika Payne highlighted estimations from the Police Federation of England and Wales that 2.4 million officers are assaulted each year.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cWhen you consider that the general public have a legitimate expectation of the police to protect them, it is only right and proper that we equip our police officers to protect the general public.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the research that I am conducting in South Yorkshire, which has been underway for some weeks, there is an alarming number of officers who are experiencing incidents of this nature, it\u2019s happening all too often.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s important, because it\u2019s a relatively common occurrence, that we have the correct measures in place.\u201d<\/p>\n
With reference to spit guards, Zuleika said their use is currently \u201cin discussion\u201d with the force.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we have to be alive to is that fact that we are now policing in very different times, and what is of paramount importance is that we actually protect the people who are trying to protect the general public,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe understand that there are some individuals who believe a spit guard infringes on people\u2019s civil liberties and human rights but what these individuals need to recognise is the dangers officers face when they are spat at, and more often than not, it\u2019s not just a case of being spat at, that spit can contain blood and what follows from that is a very agonising six month period while the officer gets the medical all clear, because there are issues around contraction of hepatitis and HIV. This is an incredibly worrying time for a police officer.\u201d People need to consider this agony which officers suffer, when they voice their disapproval of spit guards.<\/p>\n
Zuleika called on forces and the Crown Prosecution Service to support officers when they are on the receiving end of an assault.<\/p>\n
\u201cAssaults on police officers are sadly all too common,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd unfortunately when officers are assaulted, there are examples of poor support from the Crown Prosecution Service and also from within the police organisation.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolice officers run towards danger where other individuals run away from it. So, what\u2019s absolutely of paramount importance is that we give officers the protection and the equipment they need to effectively execute their duty.\u201d<\/p>\n