Rise in assaults on emergency workers "absolutely abhorrent" says Federation

26 July 2021

Figures showing a 17% increase in assaults on emergency workers are “absolutely abhorrent” and the courts need to take offences against police officers far more seriously, Humberside Police Federation has said.

The latest data from forces in England and Wales covers the four-week period ending 9 May 2021 showed that there was a 17% increase in assaults on emergency workers. The rise is thought to be driven by increases in common assaults on police officers, including offenders spitting on officers and saying they are infected with COVID-19.

Humberside Police Federation Secretary Rob Grunner said: “In Humberside alone, 12 of my colleagues a week are assaulted. That’s a dozen brave officers who are going home to family with cuts, bruises, bumps and mental scarring from going through a really traumatic experience.

“Police officers are out in the communities every day and they’re being assaulted doing their jobs, putting themselves in harm’s way to protect the public, and it’s absolutely abhorrent that they’re suffering these assaults.

“The message I want to get across is how unacceptable it is. What we hope to see is the courts taking really strong action when people are put in front of the courts for assaulting police officers and any other emergency service worker.”

Rob shared that he himself had been assaulted in the past. He said: “I will never forget it, ever. It stays with you. You remember where you were, the time, the date, what the weather was like, what people were shouting when it was happening. My colleagues and members who get assaulted suffer terribly, and they feel let down by not really being taken seriously.”

He said that courts had a large role to play in changing the culture and sending the message to the public that assaulting police officers is unacceptable and “not just part of the job”.