Enhanced support for police force’s victims of crime

A robust process to investigate all crimes against our officers and staff, combined with an enhanced welfare package to support those affected, has been launched by Lincolnshire Police working with the Police Federation.

We will put the employee at the centre of the investigation, treating them as a victim of crime and continuing to thoroughly investigate offences including physical assaults, sexual assaults, racial abuse or hate crime.

They will also be given a full care package starting directly after the incident, through their recovery, and up to and sometimes beyond any court case. We are looking at increasing our support to officers including the paying of compensation directly to officers, and opportunities for counselling, training or medical support.

Latest figures show that there are more than 400 assaults on officers and staff each year in Lincolnshire, with kicking, spitting and biting among the most frequent types of attack. More recently, we have seen incidents of coughing and spitting at our officers during the Covid-19 outbreak.

In one of the most recent examples, a Detective Constable sustained a fractured skull when a car driven by a man struck her, in Grantham. Other officers suffered whiplash when a suspect deliberately rammed their police vehicle.

For more than a year, senior leaders at the Force have worked with the Lincolnshire Police Federation to introduce the new policy, which aims to understand the true scale and number of officer assaults, while re-affirming our commitment to protecting the protectors.

“Any attack on a police officer is not simply an assault, it’s an attack on the rule of law,” said Assistant Chief Officer, Andrew White.

“Assaults should never be accepted as simply ‘a part of the job’. And while being a police officer is about sometimes putting yourself at risk of harm to keep the public safe, anyone who is assaulted while on duty can be assured of the full support of the Force at every stage.

“We’re also improving how we investigate assaults, while also working closely with the CPS to press for an increased number of successful prosecutions.

“The vast majority of the Lincolnshire public support their police and recognise the bravery of our officers. The very small minority that believe that they may impede, assault and injure officers will be arrested and investigated with a view to prosecution. Police officers deserve our thanks for the risks they take on a daily basis. ”What we want to do in the immediate aftermath of any assault is for that officer or member of staff to know the Force is there for them, and support them in every possible way we can until they feel confident and able to return to duty – to carry out their work in keeping the public of Lincolnshire safe.”

Inspector Barry Steele, of the Lincolnshire Police Federation, said: “This is something that we have been lobbying very hard for, for the last 18 months.

“We conducted a Taser survey within Force last year, which suggested that 57 per cent of our members felt that their life had been in danger at some point in the preceding two years.

“If you go from the last Bank Holiday to now, we are aware of 56 assaults on officers which have included a fractured skull; fractured ribs; a fractured leg; officers being bombarded with bottles; and officers being rammed in a car. It does not make for good reading.

“So we are pleased that our lobbying has resulted in this project being launched.”

Analysis led by Sgt Lee Johnson, who completed a PhD in the subject, will support national work around understanding and preventing assaults, maintaining and adding to the national conversations and looking at collaborations between police forces.

The main aim to improve the safety of officers who should not come to work expecting to face violence and assault.

Videos

SC Adam Brown

Special Constable Adam Brown recounts his assault which occurred on the 5th of May 2019.

PC Pete Nettleton

PC Pete Nettleton describes his assault in July 2018 where he sustained a limp as well as injuries to his elbow and leg.

“Any attack on a police officer is not simply an assault, it’s an attack on the rule of law”

Assistant Chief Officer Andrew White and PFEW Lincolnshire Branch Board Secretary Barry Steele talks about the robust investigation and enhanced support for the Force’s victims of crime.