Spit and Bite Guards

We think that police officers should have the necessary and appropriate kit and equipment to do their jobs, and this includes spit and bite guards.

Spitting is an abhorrent form of assault, with some officers saying they would 'prefer to be punched in the face than spat at'. Though the likelihood of catching a disease from being spat at is low, the effects of being spat at for an officer can be long term, as they may need to undergo anti-viral treatment and have the uncertainty of infection - currently the assailant is not required by law to give a blood sample which would let officers know if they are at risk of contracting life-threatening diseases. This can obviously have a big impact on their day-to-day life at this time and mental health.

What are spit and bite guards?

Spit and bite guards, made from a loose-fitting, lightweight mesh fabric, are placed over a person's head to help minimise the risks of communicable diseases (blood-borne viruses (BBV)) and injuries associated with spitting and biting.

There are a small number of commercially available products that are designed for this purpose and each is manufactured from a fine, translucent mesh that doesn't impede the person's breathing or impinge significantly on their senses.

Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones tried one on and said: "I spent 15 minutes in a spit guard to see what it felt like; can't say I minded it too much. The other option of course is not to spit at police officers."

The use of spit and bite guards was approved by the Association of Chief Police Officers (now the National Police Chiefs' Council) in 2007 by virtue of their inclusion within the National Personal Safety Manual.

What is being done to make spit and bite guards more available to officers?

The decision on whether or not to make spit and bite guards available to officers is down to individual chiefs, therefore we have been pushing the NPCC to encourage their use. In August 2016, ACC Tim Jacques, chair of the NPCC portfolio for Health, Safety and Welfare, wrote to all chief constables recommending that forces give serious consideration to providing the guards to all frontline officers. We continue to work with the NPCC on the issue.

How many forces use spit and bite guards?

Avon and Somerset were one of the first forces to personally issue Spit and Bite Guards and that was because of the influence your Federation asserted on the Force. Nationally all 43 forces, plus the British Transport Police and Police Scotland, have approved the use of spit and bite guards. A number of forces have made the guards available to frontline officers in the last year, including Devon & Cornwall, Gloucestershire, Durham, City of London and the Met.

In addition, we are calling for a wider roll-out of other essential pieces of kit including Taser and body-worn video.

Further information

The National AIDS Trust provides guidance for police forces on HIV as well as general information on HIV and AIDS.