Complaints against officers

[Fedster + 1,307]

Force explores spit and bite guards, enhanced Taser numbers and a seven-point 'assault' plan.

Bloody assault: The evidence of another attack on an officer

Date - 17th August 2018
By - Nick Hudson - Police Oracle

4 Comments

 

Officers at arguably the most admired force in the country have seen a six-fold rise in cases of abuse against staff in the last year.

Despite international recognition in dealing with the extraordinary demands of investigating two nerve agent attacks in four months, top-performing Wiltshire Police has seen assaults on its workforce almost double in 12 months.

And Chief Constable Kier Pritchard has gone on the offensive over something his hard-pressed team “didn’t sign up for” – drink and drug-induced physical ambushes on the police cordons set up specifically to protect the public from the deadly effects of Novichok.

The force now plans to introduce additional measures to ensure increased safeguarding of its officers which have achieved “best of” accolades in two national surveys in the last week.

The Police Federation has named Wiltshire as having the highest levels of morale in England and Wales among its officers for the second year running while a public poll by the Office of National Statistics placed it first nationally – up from 29th spot – for dealing with priorities as highlighted by the community.

In the same survey, it came second in the country for confidence in the police – a rise of 18 places – and third for residents’ satisfaction that police do a ‘good or excellent job’, compared to 12th in 2017.

But in the past year, the force has seen reports of abuse against officers rocket from 50 in 2016/17 to 300 in 2017/18 and assault go from 55 in 2016/17 to 103 in 2017/18.

Since the incident in March when former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were attacked with a military-grade Novichok, in Salisbury, several officers were assaulted on cordons in the city on the London Road and in Castle Street.

Chief Constable Kier Pritchard, who highlights the wellbeing of officers as “extremely important to me” with a “fit, healthy and happy” force providing the “best possible service to the communities we serve”, said that although most assaults on staff were minor, any violence at all should not be tolerated.

He cited a case earlier this month of an officer who was violently assaulted. His head slammed into a garage, he was kicked and had blood flicked into his face and mouth.

The chief argued: “He’s now got up to 24 weeks of waiting before he finds out if he’s all clear. It is not part of the job at all.”

He added: "As recent events have shown, our officers, staff and volunteers put themselves in danger responding to incidents with limited information on a daily basis.

"They continuously run into danger whilst others run away. I speak to officers on a near daily basis that have been assaulted or abused on duty.

"Facing this type of treatment simply because you work for the police is disgraceful and there should be no excuse or tolerance of it. It is absolutely not something we sign up for.”

Additional measures being explored include spit and bite guards, enhanced Taser numbers and a seven point assault plan supporting officers and staff abused and assaulted on duty.

Police and crime commissioner Angus Macpherson added: "As with any job there are highs and lows, but being injured and abused on duty should not be part and parcel of working for the police.

"It's paramount that the law protects our officers, staff and volunteers whilst they're protecting us.”

As part of the force's summer-long #BeyondtheBeat campaign called Policing: More Than Just A Job, officers have been speaking about their own personal experiences of encountering abuse in the last 12 months.

"It's not part of our job to receive abuse," said Melksham custody Sergeant Martin Alvis. "Of course, we understand the circumstances of why a lot of people are in custody in the first place, and the traumatic things they are going through.

“There's a certain part of you that feels like you will just put up with it because you know that they've often consumed alcohol or drugs prior to arriving and they will eventually settle down."

But persistent abuse is not acceptable, says Sgt Alvis.

Back in November last year, 38-year-old Shafiq Rafiq was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment after he was found guilty of racially aggravated public order. 

The offender was repeatedly abusive and threatening to police officers while in Melksham custody. He threatened to cut Sgt Alvis's throat and his family members' numerous times before hurling constant racial abuse.

"These were really revolting threats," said Sgt Alvis. "When the abuse is that persistent, and that disgusting, we should not have to put up with it."

Sgt Alvis attended court and was cross examined while Rafiq refused to leave his cell for the hearing. A jury found him guilty within just 30 minutes.

"You can become immune to the abuse from detainees, and more often than not, we will take it with a pinch of salt," said Sgt Alvis.

"But we should challenge this behaviour. 

"In this job, you do come across some very difficult people, and you do see people in really traumatic situations – I think it would be rare to find a custody sergeant who can honestly say they've not had one or two detainees come in to custody whose stories or situations may have brought a lump to their throat. 

"We will never judge anyone who is brought into custody, but I will always encourage my team to report abuse if it is persistent."

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[a-bothan-spy 81]

There is absolutely zero excuse for not having access to spit guards. None whatsoever.

[Ether + 1,393]

Who decided Wiltshire was the ‘most admired force’? 

[Beaker 817]

There is absolutely zero excuse for not having access to spit guards. None whatsoever.

We're supposed to have them, but last I checked they didn't have them in yet. They'd be handy as,an option when you're dealing with some people.

[SOP + 21]

1 hour ago, Beaker said:

3 hours ago, a-bothan-spy said:

There is absolutely zero excuse for not having access to spit guards. None whatsoever.

We're supposed to have them, but last I checked they didn't have them in yet. They'd be handy as,an option when you're dealing with some people.

That's one thing BTP does right, every front line officer from PCSO to Inspector has a personal issue spit guard and limb restraints with a simple form to order replacements.

[Growley + 2,436]

2 hours ago, Funkywingnut said:

Who decided Wiltshire was the ‘most admired force’? 

If I remember correctly, Wiltshire has the highest morale of all forces in E&W, so I'd imagine they're drawing on that.