Officer assaults: Chief makes it personal

23 January 2018

Leicestershire Police Federation chair Tiff Lynch has welcomed the Chief Constable’s decision to submit a personal impact statement to the courts in relevant cases when someone is prosecuted for attacking the Force’s police officers or staff.

Simon Cole’s statement will outline the effect the assault has had on the individual involved and also how it has affected the Force in terms of lost working hours. It will be used during sentencing to allow the courts' judges to take into account the impact of an assault on the victims and the organisation.

“I am really pleased to see the Chief Constable getting involved in this way,” says Tiff, “The Police Federation’s Protect the Protectors campaign has raised awareness of the growing number of assaults on police officers and other emergency service workers and new legislation should come into effect this year to ensure those who carry out these attacks are given tougher sentences both as a punishment and a deterrent to others.

“But Mr Cole’s decision to submit these statements will ensure that the courts are better informed about the physical and mental effects these assaults have not just on police officers and police staff but also their families, their colleagues and the Force itself.”

Up until the end of November, there had been 403 assaults on Leicestershire Police officers and police staff during 2017.

The Chief explained: “Even one assault on our officers and staff is one too many but more than 400 assaults is concerning. It is totally unacceptable for people to assault colleagues going about their duties serving their communities, and helping to keep us all safe.

“As a Force, we are working hard to protect our officers and staff,” Mr Cole added, “No-one should come to work and accept that being assaulted or abused is part of the job. When they are they should be seen as a victim of crime and should be offered the same service any member of the public would expect. As an employer, we need to do the right thing by our team and add this extra layer of support and ensure that the courts understand the impact this has on us, our workplace and the policing of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.”

Leicestershire Police Federation has been at the forefront of the national Federation’s Protect the Protectors campaign. It worked with the Force and the UNISON branch to introduce a nine-point plan on assaults which sets out the way in which officers and staff should be supported if they are attacked at work. Tiff also worked with the Force to introduce spit guards which will be issued to front-line officers in the near future.