Shocking injury toll of attacks on police revealed

North Yorkshire’s Police Federation says its safety survey shows more needs to be done to protect officers on the streets of the county.

Of the officers who responded, 56.7 per cent said they had suffered a personal injury at least once in the past two years as a result of an assault while working, with nearly 35 per cent claiming to have been attacked more than once.

The number of officers who said they had never been injured by an assault while on the job was 43.3 per cent, fewer than when the survey was carried out in 2006, 2003 and 1995.

The survey also reveals more than half of officers have felt their lives were in serious danger in the past two years due to a threat by a member of the public.

More officers claimed they felt in physical danger than in previous surveys, with 2.7 per cent saying they had felt in danger 11 times or more.

Despite the problems, 72.8 per cent of respondents said they were either very satisfied or fairly satisfied with the current levels of safety training, an increase on previous years.

A total of 372 people responded to the survey, a response rate of 26 per cent.

Federation chairman Mark Botham said: “The safety and welfare of our members is paramount. They are out there doing the job and facing very real danger every day.

“It is seemingly taken for granted that they will be there to protect others but what about themselves? It is only right that the utmost should be done to protect them.

“Government must listen to the front line so that we work together to ensure that the streets are a safer place for the public and for our officers.”

In the survey, officers raised concerns about the availability of Tasers, the suitability of personal protective equipment and the number of officers on duty at any one time.

Responding to the survey, North Yorkshire Police’s temporary Chief Constable, Tim Madgwick, said the force would “carefully consider” the results.

He said: “Policing is at times a dangerous occupation, even across North Yorkshire and the City of York, which are the safest policing areas in the whole of England.

“I am disappointed that nearly 60 per cent of those who responded have sustained an injury as a result of assault by a member of the public.

“It is a sad reality that there are some in the communities we serve who respond violently to police officers and police staff, individuals who are, of course, there to protect them.”

He said he was pleased that three-quarters of respondents rated officer safety training highly and the force would continue to review whether more Tasers should be made available.

Mr Madgwick added: “We will reflect on the results of the survey which indicates that over fifty per cent of officers feel that wearing body armour should be mandatory and may, following wider consultation, remove personal choice.”

North Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Julia Mulligan, said: “I will work with the federation and police officers of all ranks to ensure they feel as safe as possible whilst out on patrol.”