YP Comment: Should police wear spit hoods?

FOR the benefit of human rights group Liberty, police officers would prefer not to wear spit hoods. However, given the vile conduct of certain criminals, it's an understandable precaution on the part of those constabularies that are looking to protect their officers from such assaults.

By The Newsroom

Published 14th Jul 2017, 10:54 BST

Updated 18th Jul 2017, 08:45 BST

The fact there’s far greater awareness about this issue, and the health risks that police face when they come into contact with saliva, is thanks, in no small part, to policeman’s daughter Holly Lynch, the MP for Halifax.

To her credit, she has repeatedly raised the issue in Parliament, not least after a criminal with hepatitis C was jailed for eight weeks last year for spitting in the eye of a police officer in West Yorkshire.

“If the answer is not spit hoods, it could again be tougher sentencing, but let us have that debate. Let us have it quickly and let us ensure officers on the front line are protected,” she said.

Let’s hope that Liberty accepts that police officers have rights too – rights that should now be upheld.