Assaults increase by 31 per cent

29 August 2020

A significant increase in the number of attacks on emergency service workers shows the daily dangers they face while serving their communities, according to the chair of Hertfordshire Police Federation.

Geoff Bardell was speaking after new figures showed assaults on emergency service workers have gone up by 31 per cent when comparing July this year to the same period last year.

The statistics, released this week by the National Police Chiefs’ Council, cover the four weeks to 2 August 2020 and have been compared with the same four weeks in 2019.

“It is quite shocking that while police officers have been on the front-line during the coronavirus, risking their health to protect others, they have been subjected to these assaults. Since crime has fallen during the pandemic, you would really have thought that these attacks would decrease too. The fact they have continued to increase is appalling,” says Geoff.

“It is time for the courts to get tough on these offenders, use the maximum sentences available to them and send out a clear and firm message that these assaults will not go unpunished.”

The Federation continues to push for an increase in sentences for those who assault emergency service workers with its ‘Protect The Protectors’ campaign.

National Federation vice-chair Ché Donald said: “It is vital to safeguard the physical and mental wellbeing of police officers and ensure courts issue tougher sentences for those who assault emergency service workers.”