Fed chair praises work of Op Hampshire internally but calls for a stronger message to be sent to offenders

20 June 2023

The chair of Hertfordshire Police Federation has praised the work of Operation Hampshire, as he shines a light on the positive impact the strategy has had internally but says there is still a lot of work that needs to be done externally.

Op Hampshire, a wellbeing initiative led by Oscar Kilo, provides a consistent strategy, process and guidance for forces to follow in response to assaults on police officers.

Since its launch, it has become a priority workstream for the National Police Wellbeing Service and Police Covenant, was recently adopted by UNISON and has the backing of policing minister Chris Philp.

Speaking about the success of Op Hampshire at Hertfordshire Constabulary, Luke Mitchell said: “Internally, we’ve come a long way and Op Hampshire has played a key role in how far we’ve come.”

Luke, who joined the Police 20 years ago, has revealed how he has been ‘assaulted quite a bit’ while on duty, having been punched, kicked and spat on.

“Things have changed since I joined,” continued Luke, who spent 18 years of service in the Force’s neighbourhood team.

“It’s no longer acceptable if officers are assaulted. However, that’s not to say it doesn’t happen anymore, officers just get better support now, if they do. Back then, we were told to just ‘get on with it’.

“But it’s not just the physical impact of being assaulted, it’s the psychological trauma too, especially if you get spat on or bitten - because then there’s the risk of infection.

“In Hertfordshire, the work the Force is doing around assaults is really good and Op Hampshire has helped take that support to another level.”

But while Luke has praised the work of Op Hampshire internally, he believes more can still be done externally, as he calls for the courts ‘to take assaults more seriously’.

“Yes, internally, the support is there - but what about externally? Officers continue to feel let down by the courts. Offenders who assault officers are getting maybe a £200 fine, if that - that is not a strong enough message to be sending out.

“People need to be punished, they need to know their actions have consequences. As police officers, we go out every day to protect and support the public - it’s about time we receive the same support back.”

Luke’s comments come after chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales Steve Hartshorn called Operation Hampshire a ‘legacy project in policing’.

“If anyone ever asks: ‘what does the Federation ever do for its members?’, then this is an absolute example of what we do. I am immensely proud of how far Op Hampshire has come, its success speaks for itself,” said Steve.

“While Op Hampshire is primarily still focussing on officer assaults, it’s actually giving our members so much more than that - you have to look at the bigger picture.

“The data we collect will educate us, which in turn will help us provide better training and communications. While the project also gives our members the confidence they need to feel valued and see that their Federation is looking after them.

“We’re also working with other agencies too, like our emergency service colleagues in the ambulance service, to share the strategy. Not only will Op Hampshire support officers today, but as it grows and develops, it’s only going to get bigger.

“I genuinely believe we can get the public’s confidence in the police back and it will be through projects like Op Hampshire.”

Steve added that the success of Op Hampshire has been driven largely by the national Op Hampshire Coordinator, Dave Brewster. Dave retired from the Met Police last year but has retained his role to keep up the momentum of the initiative with the National Police Wellbeing Service.

Dave Brewster

Dave has created a national network of Op Hampshire leads across the UK to develop a pool of knowledge so that every force is represented and can share their experiences to help tackle the issue of assaults together.

“My goal is that every assault on a police officer or member of staff is recorded, investigated and then those involved are given the correct support they need. Even if they don’t think that they need support, I believe everyone should at least be offered it” said Dave, who said that in today’s society, many offenders believe they can freely attack our colleagues with impunity.

Echoing Luke’s comments, Dave added: “I want offenders to be held to account for what they do. After all, the police are here to protect the public and we have to ensure that the thin blue line is supported. If officers aren’t being protected and supported, then everything starts to go wrong.

“A huge element of Op Hampshire is changing the culture in policing. Being assaulted is not part of our job. But changing that culture starts with us. We all have a part to play and each individual working in policing is key to the success of such change. It doesn’t happen overnight. It takes leadership, direction, action and participation.”