Federation Chair: Nothing is more important than the safety of my colleagues

3 September 2020

A new offence for those deliberately using, threatening or attempting to use a vehicle to target a police employee and the potential to increase the availability of Tasers and Spit Guards for use by officers are just two of the recommendations in a new Safety Review.

In total 28 recommendations have been made by the National Police Chiefs’ Council today in a nationwide 156 page report into the rapid rise of assaults against police officers - and importantly what can be done to combat them.

Statistics show there were 30,679 assaults on police officers in England & Wales last year. That’s 590 a week. 84 a day.

Other recommendations in the safety review include new approach to investigations into officer assaults with arrest of an offender the default position, The College of Policing overhauling current safety training and replacing it with a new national curriculum and considering the benefits of any BWV footage of assaults on officers and staff being played at court, regardless of the defendant’s plea. 

Neil Mennie, Chairman of Kent Police Federation, said: “No front line officers reading this review will be particularly surprised by its findings but at least they are published and supported by evidence.

“For example the debate around crewing has run for years but goes much wider than the protection from assault argument. Anyone who has looked at the roll of honour will see the alarming number of officers killed or injured commuting to and from work.

“If you are working a long shift it would seem to make sense to have a colleague to share the workload the driving and the effect of being isolated for long periods. If you are a detective facing a long shift with clearly no prospect of getting off on time does it not make sense to have a partner to ensure you do and make you feel a bit better and more confident?

“My point being that you can have a shift pattern but it’s not unreasonable to expect to start and finish on time and too often this doesn’t happen. This can cause considerable upset and stress and I have seen many an officer in tears or just silent with angry acceptance seeing end of the day moving further and further away.

“Are you likely to make better choices and decisions whilst working with a colleague if you are tired and fatigued? I am not suggesting that we can’t do some activity single crewed but let’s take a careful look at when it’s appropriate. This may appear to be ‘inefficient’ on paper but is it?”

Speaking overall, Neil said: “I have only chosen one element of this report to talk about in detail but it’s clear that all of its conclusions and recommendations are linked to the well-being, protection and training of our colleague’s to make them safer at work.

“Let’s see this translated into action sooner rather than later because nothing is more important than the safety and wellbeing of our colleagues.”

More than 40,000 interested parties contributed to the review’s questionnaire.

Other recommendations include that the College of Policing should produce a learning package for

officers and staff to raise awareness of the risks of a corrosive substances and that Chief Constables should issue slash- and needlestick-resistant gloves to all police officers.

PFEW National Vice-Chair, Ché Donald, said: “There are many good points raised in this review, with much good work already in play. However, Chief Officers must now take swift action to implement all immediately, so they are meaningful, make a tangible difference and are directly felt by officers on the ground. 

“This review must not become just another door stop and be forgotten about a year down the line. That would mean letting down my colleagues even further.

“Along with the majority of the public, the Federation is appalled by the atrocious levels of violence colleagues have faced recently and has been demanding action. That’s why we welcomed this review and want to see its finding make a real difference.

“All too often my colleagues are not treated as victims when they are assaulted, leaving them feeling failed by supervisors and the criminal justice system, as they have made clear in this officer and staff survey. 

“It is only right officers have the very best equipment, training and support for the dangerous job they do; we made this crystal clear in PFEW’s evidence to the review.”