Page 6 - Federation magazine: December 2016 / January 2017

Officer assaults

‘Enough is enough’

- Federation launches
campaign on officer assaults

A lmost 600 West Midlands Police the Force’s health and safety statistics, show West Midlands since 2010. As the thin blue
officers have been assaulted on duty there were 586 assaults on West Midlands line is stretched ever thinner, violent crime is
in the first nine months of this year, officers in the nine months to the end of up 20 per cent. The police officers who risk life
prompting West Midlands Police Federation September this year. That compares with 428 and limb to protect the public have seen a big
to launch a campaign for tougher sentences assaults in 2012; 483 in 2013; 524 in 2014 increase in assaults. Three a day suffer
for those who attack the police and other and 611 in 2015. In the same period, officer violence like the officers who ended up in
emergency service workers. numbers in the West Midlands reduced by hospital only last weekend protecting a
The campaign, which started with a letter around 2,000. woman attacked by a male offender in West
to all West Midlands MPs and a press release The Force has launched its own 10-point Bromwich. The public value their police. The
already picked up by the local Press, will plan to ensure that the victims of these Government has let them down.”
continue over the coming months and will assaults are adequately supported and has The Federation also praised Halifax MP
include a meeting in Parliament to discuss pledged to seek appropriate redress through Holly Lynch for raising the issue in Parliament
the issue. the criminal justice system, a move the both in November and in an earlier session in
“I am deeply concerned that a growing Federation has welcomed. October when she argued that while officers
number of people seem to think it’s The Federation has already won the understand their job carries risks they should
acceptable to assault police officers,” says backing of Rob Marris, Labour MP for never be seen as a punching bag and told MPs
Tom Cuddeford, the Federation’s interim Wolverhampton South, who has written to that an assault on a police officer is an assault
chairman. Home Secretary Amber Rudd specifically on society (See Page 8).
“It is not acceptable and nor should it ever addressing the issue of the number of people West Midlands Police Federation has
be considered so. Police officers work in their spitting at officers. welcomed Ms Lynch’s comments.
communities, fighting and preventing crime, He is calling on the Government to Tom explained: “It is time this issue was
keeping order and protecting the vulnerable. increase the sentencing powers available to addressed by MPs and we extend our thanks
“They should be respected for the role judges when these cases come to court, to Holly Lynch for her efforts to improve
they undertake and sadly that respect seems strengthen the powers of police to use spit officer safety. I hope that our own MPs and, in
to be lacking in some members of the public. guards and allow compulsory testing on turn, the Government will get behind us too.
“I think it is time that people who assault people who spit at officers which would cut Enough is enough, we have to halt the
police officers and other emergency service the time officers have to wait to find out if growing number of assaults on police officers
workers receive tough sentences so that they they have been infected in these attacks. and other emergency staff.”
are appropriately punished. This would also Meanwhile Jack Dromey, Labour MP for As part of the Federation campaign on
send out a clear message that such behaviour Erdington, before a debate in Parliament on officer safety, it is hoping to set up a meeting
is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.” officer safety at the start of November, said: with MPs at the House of Commons in
The newly released figures, taken from “2,000 police officers have been cut in the December.

06 federation December 2016/January 2017 www.westmidspolfed.com