‘Tough action’ needed to address ‘appalling’ level of violence against officers, says PFNI

In a new public campaign entitled ‘Let Them Protect’, the Police Federation for Northern Ireland (PFNI), which represents rank-and-file officers, says officers bear the brunt of vicious assaults, which often lead to serious injury and lengthy recovery periods.

More serious attacks force officers to take time off to recover, placing additional pressure on already depleted numbers of colleagues who remain on duty, it said.

Speaking at the campaign launch at Stormont on Thursday (June 19), PFNI chair Liam Kelly said the nine a-day figure was conservative as many officers who suffer more minor assaults do not report them.

The launch comes just two days after 14 Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) were injured, some requiring hospital treatment, after they were pelted with petrol bombs, fireworks, heavy masonry, planks of wood and bricks during a second night of disorder in Derry/Londonderry.

Justice Minister Naomi Long condemned the violence, saying there is “absolutely no place in our society for such disorder and there is absolutely no justification for it”.

The Justice Minister is supporting the PFNI campaign alongside the PSNI chief constable and the chair of the Northern Ireland Policing Board (NIPB).

Mr Kelly told guests at the launch: “These figures are shocking and appalling. It’s high time we saw a much tougher approach with assailants who strike, kick, punch and spit at our colleagues.

“We want the public to realise the full extent of what our officers – themselves fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters – have to suffer. It’s not right they should end up in hospital with injuries they sustain while protecting the community.

“Decisive and tough sentences handed down by Magistrates and Judges will deter those who assault our police officers. Sentencing guidelines must be strengthened to empower the Courts, to implement an effective deterrent.”

“We want our communities to support ‘Let Them Protect’, to condemn perpetrators, to empathise with our officers and understand the consequences for them and their families when a police officer is unable to be at work and perform their duties due to being assaulted.”

Mr Kelly added: “Today, the chief constable, the Policing Board and this Federation are speaking with one collective voice. Assaults on our officers cannot be tolerated.”

The aim of the campaign is to highlight assaults on police officers and the knock-on consequences for victims of crime and communities

The Justice Minister, chief constable and the NIPB say attacks on officers are “intolerable” and should not be thought of as part of a “normal day” at work.

Ms Long said: “We have seen several nights of rioting and disorder in the last week with officers sustaining more than 60 injuries in the line of duty.  There is absolutely no justification for such attacks, and they must be unequivocally condemned.

“Police officers demonstrate extraordinary courage day-in and day-out setting aside their own safety as they keep the rest of us safe. However, too often police officers do not receive the respect they deserve.

“Shockingly, some people still feel that it is okay to attack or assault a police officer or that it’s simply part of the job. That is not an acceptable attitude towards any other member of society and is certainly not an acceptable manner to treat those who uphold the rule of law and place themselves in harm’s way to protect others.

“I am committed to introducing stronger legislation to protect police officers and staff and will include a new offence, with a higher maximum penalty, for assaulting a person who is providing a service to the public, performing a public duty or delivering a public service in the Sentencing Bill. I hope to introduce this legislation to the Assembly in the autumn of this year.

“When an officer is assaulted, they are a victim of crime – a fact that is often not recognised. An assault on an officer is also an attack on our whole community, delaying response to serious incidents and putting pressure on already stretched police officer numbers.

“That could make the difference as to how police respond to an incident that involves anyone of us or our loved ones. Such attacks are reckless and must never be tolerated.”

PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said: “I am extremely pleased to lend my support to this new campaign by the Police Federation and help bring attention to the wholly unacceptable levels of attack and assault on my officers and staff as they go about their job of keeping communities safe.

“Policing is a tough profession and the officers and staff of the Police Service who stand up to serve the people of Northern Ireland deserve nothing but our admiration and respect. Every one of them does a vital job and whilst they come to work knowing that on any given day they could be faced with difficult and dangerous situations, what we should never accept, is for them to be physically assaulted.

“Being attacked should never be thought of as part of anyone’s ‘normal day’ at work.’’

“We are incredibly fortunate to have the policing that we do in Northern Ireland but we cannot continue to take that policing for granted. Support for policing, and for our police officers, needs to be society wide, and it should be recognised and understood that it is simply not acceptable to assault or attack police officers. We cannot, and will not, simply stand by and accept it.

“I will continue to work hard, in tandem with the PFNI, to highlight the issue of attacks on police and engage our partners in the Department of Justice around sentencing guidelines for those who have carried out an assault on a police officer.”

NIPB chair Mukesh Sharma MBE DL said: “Being attacked is not anybody’s ‘normal day’ at work, nor should it be, and this new campaign by the Police Federation raises awareness of the personal and professional impacts that attacks and assaults on police officers can have.

“Police officers step forward when others step back. They put their lives on the line for others every day and they do not deserve to come to work to be kicked, bitten or assaulted in any other way. When that does happen it is important that they receive the proper Occupational Health and Welfare support needed.

“Regrettably, figures show that officer assaults are no longer isolated incidents and should not be tolerated.

“As a Board we have called for the current legislation regarding penalties for attacks and assaults to be reviewed to reflect the real-life risks and dangers police officers, and indeed all emergency service colleagues, can face in their every-day service to the community. It is welcome that the soon to be introduced Sentencing Bill will do just that.”