At least one Lincolnshire Police officer is assaulted every day
Lincolnshire Police has today revealed that on average one of their officers is assaulted at least once a day. According to the new figures for 2021, 318 Lincolnshire Police officers were attacked with more than 100 officers were injured while on duty.
Sgt Lee Johnson, who leads the force’s police said they take attacks on police officers very seriously. He explained that police officers in Lincolnshire and around the country are always going into dangerous situations where there is a chance the officer could face violence. He further explained that with a mix of alcohol and drugs, it can make the situation even more dangerous.
Lincolnshire Police who cover areas including Boston, Skegness, Grantham, and Lincoln has said when an officer is attacked it could have a severe impact on them, so where possible, charges are brought against those offenders.
But threats and violence directed at them can have a severe impact on officers, and so charges are being brought against offenders wherever possible.
“The impact on officers who have to go home and explain their injuries to their families can be severe,” said Sgt Johnson. “No officer should be assaulted for simply doing their job.”
Sgt Lee Johnson also said that they are seeing an increase in the number of assaults on paramedics and thefts from ambulances.
Although the Police Sentencing Bill has increased the maximum prison sentence for people assaulting emergency workers, many police officers and paramedics believe the sentence from one year to two years is not enough.
The most serious injury that Lincolnshire Police has reported is when PC Steven Denniss was stabbed while trying to apprehend double-murderer Daniel Boulton in Louth.
According to a recent report, there were 30,000 assaults on police officers in the UK last year, which means that one officer was assaulted every 20 minutes.
Sarah Jones, shadow policing minister, has called for greater protection for police.