Police Officers Face ‘Epidemic’ of Violent Attacks Across UK

The BBC’s investigation reveals that police officers in the UK face an average of 100 attacks daily. While officers acknowledge a history of being subjected to punches and kicks, they report a notable increase in both the frequency and severity of these assaults. In September 2023, PC Stuart Furlonger responded to what was classified as a low-risk incident at an apartment building located in Peterlee, County Durham. While the 33-year-old officer was in the process of escorting two individuals out of the premises, a man operating a quad bike intentionally collided with him at high speed. He described his “whole world was spinning” as he was propelled to the ground, observing that his leg “felt like jelly”. His injuries included a double leg break, necessitating extensive surgical intervention for the insertion of pins and rods. According to data reviewed by the BBC, Durham Constabulary, PC Furlonger’s force, documented the most significant increase in assaults against UK police officers over the three-year period concluding at the end of 2023. This trend was not unexpected for PC Furlonger, who himself has been punched and “spat at twice” during his service. He recounted that a fellow officer had recently been stabbed, and another sustained a broken elbow during an arrest, incidents he stated would have been “unheard of in Durham five years ago”. PC Furlonger, whose mother was left “shaken” after he sustained a black eye, commented, “The impact on our families is huge.” He further stated, “If you’re assaulting us, kicking us, stabbing us, whatever – those injuries and that trauma we have to take home.” Freedom of Information requests filed by the BBC to all UK police forces revealed a total of 37,786 physical assaults against police in 2023. This figure represents a daily average of 103 incidents and an 11% increase from the 33,864 assaults recorded in 2021. The actual number is anticipated to be greater, as only 35 out of 45 police forces supplied data. Durham Constabulary documented 522 attacks on its officers in 2023, marking a 370% surge from 111 assaults in 2021. This constitutes the largest increase observed across the UK; however, the force attributed this rise partly to a new emphasis on encouraging officers to report all attacks, which would influence the statistics. Last year, the Metropolitan Police registered 7,856 assaults, averaging over 150 incidents weekly. Concurrently, police forces in Scotland experienced 5,224 attacks in 2023, representing a 23% rise compared to 2021. Throughout her 21-year career, PC Ruth Coates of Cumbria Constabulary has endured being “punched, kicked, spat at numerous times, headbutted and dragged along by a moving vehicle”. She recounted one “harrowing” incident where she required testing for Hepatitis B after a woman with the condition, who had a bleeding foot, kicked her in the mouth. However, she stated that nothing could have prepared her for the severe violence encountered in November 2022. While responding to a criminal damage report in Alston with a colleague, the man they were attempting to apprehend assaulted them. PC Coates experienced “the most excruciating pain” and became aware that he was “savagely biting” her arm. Disturbing body camera footage captured her cries for assistance during the multi-minute assault. She “immediately screamed” while simultaneously attempting to aid her colleague, who believed the assailant was “biting his finger off”. PC Coates asserted that she might have lost her arm had it not been for the bravery of the other officer. Both officers recovered from the incident, yet they faced considerable mental and physical repercussions. PC Coates remarked, “I did have sleepless nights after it.” She added, “I’ve still got the scar to remind me of that every day and it does have an impact on you.” Data examined by the BBC indicates that, during the initial five months of 2024, an average of one police officer was assaulted daily in Cumbria. PC Coates stated, “The level of violence and how often it happens now is unprecedented.” She concluded, “We don’t deserve to be attacked just because we’re wearing a uniform.” While most police forces reporting elevated assault numbers serve major urban centers or expansive regions, Cleveland Police in north-east England stands out as an exception. The force’s operational area is the second smallest in England and Wales, covering a population of approximately 570,000. Supt John Wrintmore expressed shock at the “really high numbers,” reporting that Cleveland recorded 860 assaults on officers in the 12 months leading up to the beginning of July. He elaborated, “To put that into perspective, that’s nearly one in two of all our officers across the whole force in any single year being the victim of an assault.” He added, “A high number of those have resulted in injuries and in some cases really serious injuries.” During this summer’s disturbances in Middlesbrough and Hartlepool, 19 Cleveland Police officers sustained injuries after responding to events advertised as anti-immigration protests. PC Furlonger was deployed to provide support in Hartlepool and immediately came “under missile attack straight away”. He described, “There was a young kid, who can’t have been any more than eight or nine, and he picked up a rock, threw it at the police line and ran away,” adding, “It was crackers.” He characterized the experience as surreal, noting that even the most seasoned officers had “never faced anything like the severity” of the violence. Paul Crowley of the Police Federation of England and Wales stated that officers are now commencing their shifts “expecting” to be attacked. He indicated a nationwide rise in assaults targeting police personnel, impacting them “physically and mentally”. He emphasized, “No-one comes to work and should accept the fact they’re being assaulted.” He concluded that officers had “effectively become a punching bag”. Ed Russell, Police Federation chair for Cumbria, described the situation as an “epidemic affecting the country”. He admitted, “As to why it’s happening, I’m afraid I can’t answer.” He stressed, “These are sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, and it’s happening every day.” The Home Office issued a statement: “Any assault on a member of the police workforce is a criminal offence.” Individuals found guilty of assaulting an emergency worker are subject to a maximum of two years’ imprisonment, with more severe incidents incurring progressively harsher sentences.