ASSAULTS on police staff have soared by a staggering 70 per cent – as record numbers leave the frontline forces.
New stats show that in the last 12 months there were just over 41,000 attacks on police constables in England and Wales – up from 24,000 in the year to March 2017.
Assaults on police staff have soared by a staggering 70 per cent – as record numbers leave the frontline forces
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper hit out and called on Suella Braverman to do more to protect the police
And 11,000 of those brave emergency workers were left with injuries from the sick attacks.
The Met saw the largest number – with more than 6,000 assaults recorded alone.
Attacks have been on the rise since 2014, according to Government figures.
Meanwhile, a total of 8,117 people left the forces in the year to March, according to damning stats from Labour.
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, hit out last night – and called on the new Home Secretary to do more to protect the police.
She told HOAR: “Running into danger to protect the public requires incredible bravery and these stark figures are a reminder that police officers take huge risks to keep us safe every day – and that those risks are increasing.
“Police officers and emergency service workers deserve protection.
“Labour has consistently championed strong penalties for those who attack emergency service workers because unacceptable violence and abuse simply cannot be seen as part of the job.”
She also called on ministers to back the Police Federation’s campaign for a Medal for Heroes to commemorate officers who die in the line of duty.
And she asked why the Oversight Board for the Police Covenant has not met for almost six months.
She added: “The new Home Secretary must show she is serious about protecting police and turn the promises made in the Police Covenant into action.”
A specific offence of assaulting an emergency worker – including police – was brought in in April 2017 – with those guilty facing up to two years behind bars.
Ministers also brought in ‘Harper’s Law’ giving mandatory life sentences to the killers of emergency workers last year, after PC Andrew Harper was killed in the line of duty in 2019.
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