Warwickshire Police officers endured a wave of violent attacks over the bank holiday weekend, with reports of them being 'spat at, punched, kicked and bitten'. Chief Constable David Gardner has condemned the abuse, stating 'our officers are people'.
Seven Assaults Recorded
Over the three-day weekend, at least seven assaults on officers were reported. Gardner revealed that more incidents have occurred since. 'This is assault,' he said, emphasizing that such attacks on emergency workers carry severe penalties, with common assault against an emergency services worker carrying a maximum sentence four times higher than other common assault crimes.
Chief Constable's Statement
Gardner stressed that officers have been injured, put at risk of infection, and forced to take time off work. 'We take the safety of our officers extremely seriously, and we will seek charges for anyone who puts that safety at risk,' he added. He reminded the public that officers are people who run towards danger to protect others and deserve to return home safely to their families.
Special Kind of Person
'Our officers chose this career because they wanted to help people at the worst moments in their lives. That takes a special type of person,' Gardner concluded. The force is urging the public to respect emergency workers and is committed to prosecuting offenders to the fullest extent of the law.
