Page 8 - Federation magazine: October / November 2016

23,000 officers
assaulted in last year

There were an estimated 23,000 crime – assault without injury on a on a constable” recorded across all forces
assaults on police officers and staff constable. (including the British Transport Police).
during 2015/2016, according to new “Although voluntary this year, from April l An estimated 23,000 assaults on officers
figures released by the Home Office. 2017 providing the data will be mandatory, across all forces (including the British
And, for the first time, they include an again something we have been calling for Transport Police).
extra column showing forces’ crime recorded since this project started. This is a great The new report summarises the two
data. This has been added as a direct result result and will compel forces to give the data data sources for assaults on police officers
of a Hampshire Police Federation led required,” says John Apter, chairman of collected by the Home Office: self-reported
campaign highlighting the fact that there Hampshire Police Federation and the driving assaults data held within human resources
was no consistency in the way in which force behind the campaign on this issue. In (HR) or health and safety systems and the
forces recorded assaults on their officers and 2015/16 there were: police recorded crime data. Neither of these
staff. l 7,903 assaults involving injury reported data sources currently provides a complete
But only 15 forces, including West picture of assaults against police officers,
Midlands Police, have provided the crime to force health and safety teams by but together they can help to indicate the
data. In the West Midlands there were 628 officers, and 270 reported by PCSOs scale of the issue.
self-reported results and 560 police recorded (excluding the British Transport Police)
l 15,491 crimes of “assault without injury

Assaults: ‘not part of the job’

A staggering total of 1,504 West Midlands police officers and staff and that is something we welcome.”
have been assaulted so far this year, according to latest figures Last year, the Force launched a 10-point pledge on assaults to
released by the Force. ensure that police officers and staff are treated properly if they are
The number of assaults recorded peaked at 231 in July after assaulted. It ensures:
showing a steady increase month on month but then fell slightly in l Assaults on police officers and police staff are investigated with
August (216).
“These figures are quite alarming,” says Tom Cuddeford, interim the same care, compassion and commitment as an assault on a
chairman of West Midlands Police Federation, “It is totally member of the public
unacceptable that people seem to think that it’s OK to assault police l The assaulted officer or staff member never investigates their
officers and staff; it is not. Police officers and staff are there to serve own assault
their communities, fight and prevent crime, keep order and protect l All assaults on police officers and police staff are treated seriously
the vulnerable. The public should respect their role in society. and the Force seeks appropriate redress through the criminal
“There may have been a tendency for police officers and staff to justice system.
consider assaults as being ‘part of the job’ but I don’t think that is The pledge, modelled on a pioneering initiative launched in
true and I think we have to challenge that. The growing number of Hampshire Police Federation, is displayed around the Force area.
assaults reported during the year may suggest that officers and staff “It is important that all police officers, staff and supervisors
are pushing against that and ensuring all assaults are now reported familiarise themselves with this pledge so that it becomes
embedded in the whole culture of the Force,” says Tom.

Number of assaults by month

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Total
151 171 174 169 177 215 231 216 1,504

*Figures for full month of September not available at time of going to print.

08 federation October/November 2016 www.westmidspolfed.com