Page 17 - Federation Magazine June / July 2017

said that some of the sentences (for PC recalls spit dripping off his face
assaulting officers) were too soft and that
was wrong. But 12 months later, we are still A West Midlands officer, who endured spit dripping off my face. It was disgusting.
fighting for officers’ rights and stiffer injections, medication and ‘six months of I would rather have been punched in the
deterrents, for spit guards, for increased worry’ after being spat upon by an face.
roll-out of Taser, for protection for drivers – assailant, has called for politicians to help “PC O’Shea came over and was acting
and it’s quite a frustrating thing to change legislation to give police more as a peace-maker. The guy had a bit of
constantly plead for something that should protection. blood in his mouth and spat that blood in
already be there,” he said. PC Mike Bruce told the Federation’s Al’s face. If we had the spit guards, I would
“There is stuff going on to cops on a daily national conference in Birmingham that he have pulled it out after I had been spat on
basis and it is stuff that the public don’t see. had ‘spit dripping off his face’ after an and that would have protected Al.
It’s a sacrifice that they are making and a lot incident outside a pub in Holbrook, “We were carted off to hospital
of the time, the sentences do not reflect the Coventry in April last year. His colleague, PC because it went in our mouths and eyes
physical and mental injuries sustained. Alan O’Shea, had blood spat in his face and was treated as a needle injury. We
“Less than 10 per cent of offenders get a when he came to help. had injections and medications to stop
custodial sentence. That is not justice. Our It was the start of a long process of the onset of possible HIV and Hepatitis B
cops don’t think it is and that is why they tests to make sure that neither officer had and C.
don’t bother recording it because they have contracted HIV or Hepatitis B or C and also “There was six months of worry. Within
no faith in the criminal justice system. led to PC Bruce’s two children, aged one my first month of medication, the GP told
“The vast majority of MPs agree with us and nine, requiring blood tests too. me I tested positive for Hepatitis B, which
– so that begs the question: why is it so None of that worry would have had to later proved to be a false reading. At the
damn hard to change legislation to bring in have been endured had legislation been in time, my whole world caved in. My wife and
stiffer sentences? It is our responsibility to place to make the arrested man take a I were thinking about having a third child
continue the debate. blood test to see if he had any of the and I thought we were never going to be
“We are calling for stiffer sentences. If diseases that could be contracted. able to do that because of a positive test.
there is no deterrent, how are people going And PC O’Shea’s ordeal would not have My one and nine-year-olds had to have
to change their behaviour? Assaults are happened either had PC Bruce had a spit blood tests and Al and I went back every
going up and more violent assaults are guard at his disposal. West Midlands Police two weeks for more blood tests.
going up. Something needs to change. are currently discussing that possibility. “If there was legislation in place for the
“We have drafted legislation for the “Myself and Alan were just about to go prisoner to have a blood test, it would have
Home Office. It’s there to go. It’s there to go off duty when we heard an almighty stopped all of that worry but he is under no
for aggravated assault on a police officer. We scream of a back-up call over the radio obligation. He was charged with assault on
are in a position where MPs will listen to us from a response officer,” said PC Bruce. me and Al. He got a suspended sentence
and listen to what we are doing. My plea to “When we arrived, I saw a colleague and had to pay me £250 and Al £500.
you is help us campaign for this for the right struggling with two men, a father and son. “These spit guards are solely there so
reasons. We all need to put pressure on “I pulled the father away and he that if someone is spitting or trying to bite,
those in power.” started throwing punches and kicking me. there is something there to protect us. I
Speaking at the end of the discussion on We went on the floor and I was trying to would invite politicians to come out with
the Protect The Protectors campaign, a West restrain him but he turned round, looked us and see what goes on. It’s about getting
Midlands officer, who endured injections, me in the eye and spat in my face. It went out there and educating them.”
medication and ‘six months of worry’ after in my left eye and down my mouth. I had
being spat upon by an assailant, has also
called for politicians to help change
legislation to give police more protection.

Modern slavery: ‘the greatest
human rights issue of our time’

Modern slavery is the ‘greatest human rights issue of our time’, the process but the expertise to deal with vulnerable victims and
UK’s Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner told conference serious organised crime already exists within policing,” Mr Hyland
during a Tuesday afternoon break-out session. told delegates.
Kevin Hyland, a former head of the Met’s anti-trafficking unit, He said there had been 3,805 allegations of modern slavery
also admitted that it was a sad reflection on today’s world that his recorded by the national referral mechanism but only 117
post - established under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 - was even prosecutions and just 31 convictions. The attitude in the past had
needed, given that slavery was abolished 180 years ago. been to pass on the problem rather than tackle it and he had been
He said this ‘hidden crime’ affects 45.8 million people today, shocked to find incidents catalogued on spreadsheets and not
equivalent to the population of Spain, compared to around 11 being tackled.
million people before it was abolished. The commissioner went on to call for improved training for
Many of the victims of modern slavery can be found working in officers through the College of Policing to enable police to detect
factories, fields, in the fishing industry, and car wash outlets. They slavery and recognise the victims, rather than charging them for
were, the commissioner explained, often housed in squalid being complicit in cannabis farms, prostitution or other criminal
conditions. activity. He also said there needed to be greater commitment by
“There has been a huge growth in the problem. Our approach forces to record allegations and investigate incidents, backed with
has changed significantly for the better. It has been a steep learning the necessary financial investment.

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