Assaults on police officers ‘must never be tolerated’, says chair

16 February 2026

Hertfordshire Police Federation chair Luke Mitchell has called for courts to hand ‘the toughest possible sentences’ to offenders who attack officers.

Luke said violence towards officers is ‘totally unacceptable’ and must not become part of the job.

He was responding to figures in the latest Police Covenant annual report, which stated that approximately 115 police officers and staff in England and Wales are assaulted every day.

The figures revealed more than 42,000 assaults on officers and staff each year.

Shocking

Luke said: “To hear that around 115 police officers and staff are assaulted every day is absolutely shocking.

“It is a level of violence that is deeply troubling and leaves our members with physical injuries and psychological scars that can take a long time to heal.

“Behind every one of these attacks is a real person with family and friends.

 

 

“They are going to work to serve and protect the public, and are being met with violence and abuse.

“No one should have to face being assaulted as part of their working day.

“It is totally unacceptable, and it needs to change.”

Assaults

Following a successful national campaign by the Police Federation of England and Wales, the maximum sentence for assaulting an emergency worker was increased to two years’ imprisonment.

Luke said the courts must use the tougher sentencing powers.

He said: “The legislation is there, but too often we see sentences that do not reflect the seriousness of these crimes.

“Courts must use the full weight of the law, not only to deliver justice for those affected, but to send a clear message that assaults on police will not be tolerated.”

The annual Police Covenant report found that the true scale of assaults on police officers and staff may be even higher due to inconsistencies in data collection.

Welfare support

Efforts to improve the response to attacks are being driven through Operation Hampshire. It requires forces to take senior-level responsibility for tackling and preventing assaults, implement a structured prevention plan, and improve data collection to build a clearer picture of risk.

Inspections by HMICFRS now place greater emphasis on how forces manage assaults and provide welfare support, while new digital tools are helping officers record incidents more effectively.

Nationally, the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) Copped Enough campaign calls for better protection, stronger sentencing, and improved support for officers and staff.

Luke said: “I’m sure the public will find the number of officers being assaulted truly staggering.

“We’re concerned that not all assaults are being reported because members feel it’s part of the job – but it isn’t.

“And when they are assaulted, they must receive the same level of care and sense of justice as any victim of crime.”

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