#ProtectTheProtectors: One assault is one too many

NEW figures showing that 756 Essex Police Officers were assaulted last year offers an ‘accurate picture’ of what they are put through on duty, says Essex Police Federation.

The continuing #ProtectTheProtectors campaign, aimed at highlighting the violence officers often face, has meant the amount of assaults are now being more accurately recorded, Federation Chairman Steve Taylor revealed.

“I am sadly not surprised by the figures,” he said. “For a while I’ve been saying that more officers are assaulted than have been officially recorded so this is an unintended consequence of the work we’ve been doing around Protect the Protectors, it’s better record keeping.”

Steve says deterrents to assaulting police officers need to be in place and has called on the Criminal Justice System to send out ‘stronger signals’.

“One assault on a colleague is too many and in Essex we firmly hold the line that an assault on a constable is an assault on society itself, it’s not right that anyone should think it acceptable to assault an officer in any shape or form.

“That’s why we need support from the law makers. We’ve been lobbying hard through Protect the Protectors to increase sentences available for the courts to hand down.

“It’s disappointing that the proposed legislation has been watered down but getting anything through with Brexit happening is a step in the right direction.

“The deterrent argument needs strengthening – harsher sanctions need to be made available, that’s what we continue to push for.”

Taser, spit guards and body worn cameras are also key bits of kit in the fight against a society that is paying less respect to the police and authority, he added.

“They need investment, they need funding and it’s a really tricky area for the force because there are very limited resources in that area,” Steve said.

“But we are starting to see more body worn video and the force is rolling out some top-notch equipment, some of the best out there. With Taser, we are training more people, we are getting the new models in and we are moving in the right direction, although we are not advanced as we’d like us to be.

“I’d love to be in the position of some of the forces and be able to say that every frontline officer that wishes to deploy with a Taser, there is one available for them.

“I think that’s a laudable aim for us to work towards but there’s a lot of work still to be done.”