- 15/10/2012
- Posted by: Ken Skates MS
- Category: News
CLWYD SOUTH DUO SUSAN ELAN JONES AND KEN SKATES have said the numbers of assaults being made on North Wales Police Officers each year is unacceptably high.
A special investigation by the Clwyd South Labour team highlighted nearly 900 incidents in the last five years when a North Wales Police Officer has been assaulted whilst on duty in the force region.
Some of the attacks included officers being attacked with a baseball bat, a motor vehicle, an aerosol and others being assaulted with physical force. There were 133 attacks on Police Officers in North Wales in 2011/12.
CLWYD SOUTH MP SUSAN ELAN JONES said:
“I am very concerned at the figures we obtained from North Wales Police which show exactly how many officers have been assaulted over the last five years in North Wales.
“Though we have seen a trend where the numbers of incidents overall has come down, we are still witnessing an unacceptably high number of serving Police Officers in North Wales being attacked in the line of duty. This has to change and we need to do more to stamp out this behaviour.
“We need to see Police in North Wales better supported and given more assistance from the Home Office to undertake the important job they do in our communities.
“We can see from the figures they are already placed under very great strain and the £16m funding cut being imposed on them, which represents 20% of their budget, will make their jobs almost impossible.”
CLWYD SOUTH AM KEN SKATES said:
“Police in North Wales do a fantastic job every day, in many cases putting their lives on the line, to keep our homes, neighbourhoods and communities safe.
“Officers should of course not have to be attacked with baseball bats, aerosol cans or by physical aggression whilst they are on duty protecting our streets. The job is difficult enough as it is and to see them assaulted in the numbers they are is a matter of great public concern.
“On top of this we are now asking them to cut 260 personnel, 160 of which are frontline officers by 2015. This isn’t good enough, the Conservative coalition Government is letting our force down in North Wales and we need to see something done about it.”
-Ends-
Notes:
Numbers of assaults on North Wales Police Officers
2007/08 – 247 incidents
2008/09 – 184 incidents
2009/10 – 185 incidents
2010/11 – 146 incidents
2011/12 – 133 incidents
