'Stark reminder of extraordinary sacrifices'

18 December 2024

Officers policing the summer riots displayed “immense bravery in the face of extreme violence”, a new HMICFRS report has said, as it criticised forces for being unprepared and not doing enough to look after officers’ wellbeing.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) was commissioned by the Home Secretary to carry out a rapid review into the policing response to the summer disorder that took place across many UK towns and cities.

The first part of the report, published today, recognised that police officers showed immense bravery and personal sacrifice to keep the public safe. It reports that police officers were attacked with missiles, including petrol bombs, and were kicked and punched.

According to National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) data, 302 officers sustained injuries, including 48 officers receiving serious injury. Injuries included concussion, severe facial injuries, broken bones, cuts and bruises. Fifty-four officers were hospitalised, with Merseyside Police and South Yorkshire Police officers suffering the most injuries.

The inspectorate said: “Officers displayed immense bravery in the face of extreme violence. It is to their enormous credit that they kept the public safe…The violence officers suffered is shameful and unacceptable. They deserve the public’s full support.”

In its report, the inspectorate also said that forces were unprepared for the scale of the disorder and that the NPCC made its national mobilisation plan too late. In addition, intelligence assessments did not predict the potential disorder well enough.

It also said that some commanders initially deployed officers in standard uniform with no PPE, which could have left officers vulnerable to injury. Public-order officer training also needed improvement, HMICFRS said, and there should be better use of the National Police Wellbeing Service.

The Chair of Sussex Police Federation, Raffaele Cioffi, pointed out that the Government should remember officers’ bravery and sacrifice when it was making decisions on police pay.

Raffaele said: “The summer riots were a stark reminder of the extraordinary sacrifices police officers make to protect our communities. Many endured gruelling extended shifts, put their safety on the line, and made personal sacrifices, including time away from their families, to restore order and peace.

“It’s disheartening that, despite these efforts, the recent pay deal reflects the Government’s short-term memory regarding the critical and often life-changing work officers do. We must do better in recognising and valuing police officers’ commitment to public service.”

He added: “We always say that the inherent dangers officers face – the ‘P-Factor’ – should be taken into account in police pay, and this is another example of a hazardous situation that police officers ran towards, in order to protect the public.”