NEWS
STOPPING POLICE OFFICER ASSAULTS
In the year ending March 2024, a troubling surge in assaults on police officers in England and Wales has been recorded. POLICE takes a look at how this gruesome crime is recorded and what must be done to stop it
According to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), a total of 45,907 offences involving assaults on police officers were reported, marking a significant increase from previous years. This uptick highlights a growing concern for the safety and wellbeing of our members who serve on the front lines of law enforcement. After the unacceptable unrest our members were faced with over one week in the summer, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper spoke about the culture and the mindset that made such behaviour possible in the first instance, and the importance of restoring respect for the rule of law.
During the unrest PFEW formed part of Op Navette Gold Group, ensuring the wellbeing and rehabilitation of officers affected by the riots was a priority for all
04 | POLICE | OCTOBER | 2024
forces. The data from the ONS highlights the importance of the work we do in ensuring our members get the care and rehabilitation treatment they need. A deeper analysis of the ONS data
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reveals this concern should not just be expressed during moments of exceptional civil unrest but be part of standard planning for all police work. The risk of assault and injury has never been greater.
BREAKDOWN OF THE DATA Of the 45,907 recorded offences, a
substantial portion involved “assault without injury on a constable,” with 34,428 incidents reported. This represents a 15.5 per cent increase from the 29,809 such offences recorded in the previous year. Additionally, “assault with injury on a constable” incidents totalled 11,479, reflecting an 8.4 per cent rise from the 10,594 cases documented in the prior year. These figures
suggest a broader trend of increasing violence against police officers, which has been escalating over recent years.
EVOLUTION OF CRIME CLASSIFICATION The data on assaults against police officers is drawn from the police recorded crime
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