Kent Police Federation Chair reacts to escalating numbers of police assaults

1 August 2024

There were 45,907 assaults on police officers in England & Wales last financial year.

That’s 5,500+ more than last year and a staggering 20,000 more assaults on your police officers than there were in 2017.

In Kent Police 1,423 officers were assaulted on duty last year. That’s more than 27 a week.

Neil Mennie, Chair of Kent Police Federation said: “Our thoughts this morning are with our colleagues now dealing with outbreaks of violence following the tragic events in Southport and of course with the families of those affected.

“After watching the community come together and the unimaginable trauma for the victims and families involved, we see violent disorder. The use of social media to provoke violence is becoming an ever increasing issue.

“The concept that ‘if its on social media it must be true’ is one that is being utilised in a way that is naive and dangerous. I have a huge respect for our colleagues and indeed some helpful and brave members of the public who have assisted.

“I watched with real concern those officers deployed at the early stages in usual duty uniform with missiles being thrown and the courage they showed.

“Many officers have been injured and can now be added to the outrageous numbers in these assault statistics. It’s important to remember ‘the police are the public and that the public are the police’ to quote from the Robert Peel principles of policing.

“Those officers elected to join a vocation and a long proud tradition of British policing that is second to none despite all the criticism and armchair judgments made about them.

“If you assault a police officer you should go to prison however that remains wishful thinking and that cannot be right.

“I have often said that pay is only one element of looking after police officers however its unavoidable that 4.75% feels somewhat underwhelming today.”