THREE police officers are attacked every day in Greater Manchester.
Last year 1,134 officers were threatened or physically attacked while on duty - more than anywhere in the country outside London.
And the figure has rocketed by 42 per cent in just two years.
Another 63 officers were seriously injured as a result of an attack while on duty, according to separate figures published by Greater Manchester Police. Andrew Marston, the force's personnel boss, said it was `totally unacceptable' that police were assaulted while on duty.
Home Office figures show attacks in the region rose sharply at a time when the national figure remained stable - and even fell in the last 12 months. There were 796 assaults on police in Greater Manchester in 2003/04, 1,053 in 2004/05, and 1,134 in 2005/06.
The latest figure works out at an average of 3.1 every day. The figures do not include attacks which resulted in serious attacks which resulted in serious injury. Statistics from in 2003/04, 1,053 in 2004/05, and 1,134 in 2005/06.
The latest figure works out at an average of 3.1 every day.
The figures do not include attacks which resulted in serious injury.
Statistics from GMP show 63 officers were seriously injured while on duty in 2005/06 compared to just 16 in 2004/05. and 25 in 2002/03. No figures on serious injury are available for 2003/04.
Concerned
Across England and Wales, there were 22,189 incidents in 2003/04, a total of 23,607 in 2004/05, and 22,356 in 2005/06.
Police in Greater Manchester are so concerned about the trend they have been lobbying for a change in the law to ensure people who assault officers face stricter sentencing.
Their campaign is backed by Chief Constable Michael Todd. Officers have long warned that their job is has been getting more dangerous. in recent years.
Research carried out earlier this year by the Police Federation é the police étrade unioné é found 40,000 officers nationally had been faced with a knife and 7,000 threatened with a gun during the last two years.
Paul Kelly, chairman of the éPolice Federation, said: éIt is a tiny minority doing this who seem to think we are a fair target.
éPart of the problem is that the judicial system seems to treat police assaults on police officers as a minor offence, a hazard of the job.
éIt needs to be taken more seriously.é
'Review'
Mr Marston who is responsible for human resources at Greater Manchester Police, said: éWe are concerned that the number of officers being assaulted while performing their duties has increased over the last three years.
éWe monitor all police officer assaults very closely and regularly review police officer deployment, training and equipment to ensure our officers have the best available protection. It is totally unacceptable that our officers are assaulted while conducting their duties. éGMP will not tolerate such behaviour and will seek to éprosecute offenders wherever possible.é
Last year, the M.E.N. successfully lobbied for tougher laws against attacks on emergency crews responding to 999 calls. The Emergency Workers Obstruction Act, backed by our Protect Our Heroes campaign, received royal assent in November and comes into force early this year.
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This would not surprise me, some of them have a major attitude with, I am in Uniform, I have more power than you!
basically some police officers need to go back to charm school especially when someone is talking to them, politely, to be told to go away scum, I am too busy.
"THREE police officers are attacked every day in Greater Manchester" - what the same Three!
and yet the Archbishop of York thinks we are in danger of becoming a police state! he obviously has a good grip of reality and spends his time working on the front line. misguided yet prominent folk like him should keep their comments to themselves until they know what they are talking about.
Louise, ANPR, CCTV, ON THE SPOT FINES, TRIAL WITHOUT JURY IN CERTAIN CASES, DNA DATABASES, ID CARDS, NATIONAL IDENTITY REGISTER, CHILDRENS DATABASE, VEHICLE MOVEMENT TRACKING, STOP AND SEARCH to name but a few. Make no mistake about it, we live in a police state.
People who hit and injure policemen are cowards with no regard or respect for their job;they are there to help you,keep and uphold the law. They don't need thugs attacking hitting assaulting or stabbing them! Anyone who does that should face 15 years in prison and a £5,000 fine when they get out with an indefinate prison sentence if they assault another.
Jake - go to see a doctor you are suffering from delusions, the plice in this country work for YOUR protection.
ANPR - Locates vehicles without tax or stolen.
CCTV - not usually controlled by the police but by private companies.
ON THE SPOT FINES - issued to offender for commiting minor CRIME, (and you don't actually pay on the spot as you suggest the money is sent off)
TRIAL WITHOUT JURY - has always taken place in Magistrates court throughout Europe and the rest of the world.
DNA DATABASES -with details of convicted offenders
ID CARDS - not compulsary to own, or produce
CHILDRENS DATABASE - I think you mean the one that is for the protection of children., VEHICLE MOVEMENT TRACKING - I think you dreamt this one
STOP AND SEARCH - shall the police let criminals walk free without being searched ?
Jake maybe now you can relax.
Jake yes its so frightening people are afraid of committing crime (NOT!). it can't be that much of a "police state" with all the crime being committed daily! also I'm not bothered whether I'm on CCTV or not because I'm not a criminal.
Jake, ever been a victim of; robbery,rape,mugging,car theft,physical attack........., if you do, who you gonna call???, dont call ghost busters, they are not real either!!!!
Greater Manchester Police have a motto â€oeFighting Crime, Protecting Peopleâ€. Not only do officers get attacked while trying to do their jobs, a great number have had their lives taken from them â€oeFighting Crime, Protecting Peopleâ€.
Like any job there are good and bad, but try and remember that they are sometimes literally putting their lives at risk on a daily basis to try and make this city a better place to live in. We all sometimes have a bad day at work, and I am certain that we do not have to deal with a tenth of what they do.
I was lucky to chase and apprehend a mugger in this great city before Christmas, and I was totally amazed at the amount of paperwork the officers concerned had to fill out, instead of being out catching more people. Now if I had been attacked and stabbed like a lot of officers it probably would have made the national press, what do they get criticism from people like Jake.
Oh very funny LEE, have you ever been punched in the face, spat at, driven at by a stolen car, knife pulled on you, threaten by a dog, brick thrown at you, a threat to rape and kill your wife and kids. "NO" surprise surprise. Until you have keep your comments to yourself and if you ever need help think about what you have just said before you pick up the phone.
Lets put it to the vote ......
Jakes views or the real world.
Not surprised really given the severe 'attitude' problem of many GMP officers. I'm a professional guy but living in a not too 'salubrious' part of town but happy here. The attitude of Officers i've encountered round here appalls and disgusts me! The assumption is that you're theiving, scally scum who deserves to be patronised, sneered at, and 'up to no good'. I've never been 'in trouble' BTW. Some officers need to learn has to respect people regardless of the location they live, shame sum of them had to learn it via an assault!!!
Just wait until judges and politicians/councillors start to get attacked on a daily basis then maybe something will be done (lock attackers up for a long time and birch them) until something this radical is done things will only get worse.
Well Adam of Miles Platting you think assaulting policemen is something to be proud of and that policemen need this sort of behaviour towards them? They are only trying to keep law and order and help people if they require it, that sort of good DOESN'T need tarnishing by assault from teens/kids and thug adults;I say lock them up for 15 years and fine them £5,000 and if they come out and assault again lock them up indefinately!
Well Anthony of Accrington it's a shame that you don't read all the news regarding GMP force as about three months ago it was reported that nationally Greater manchester police has the highest number of officers suspended from duty whilst being investigated for 'improper conduct' etc FACT! I'm sure someone with the amount of time you appear to have on yourhands can do an internet search to confirm this lol
Lizzard, I wouldn't call the police no matter what. Ambulance; maybe because they can help, Fire service; maybe because they can help, Police; never becaust they only hinder.