Increase in policy officer injury in Northern Ireland

Over the last five years, eight police officers per day on average were assaulted while on duty in Northern Ireland.

The police service of Northern Ireland described this as "a stark reminder of the difficult situations and challenges that officers’ face every day while simply carrying out their job."

Superintendent Gary Busch from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Operational Support Department said last year there were over 3,200 assaults on officers reported to them.

He said: "It’s important to remember that these are not just statistics but they represent real people with families and they don't deserve to be assaulted just for just doing their job.

“We, as a Police Service, are committed to investigating these attacks rigorously, just as we would were it a member of the public. From today, the Chief Constable will provide a statement to case files where officers or staff have been assaulted while on duty, to highlight how these incidents impact both the individuals involved, and the Service as a whole.”

The rate of assaults on officers has risen by 7.6 per cent from the previous year in the injury category.

Superintendent Busch said that assaults add pressure to an already stretched workforce: “Assaults on our officers and staff place additional unnecessary burden at a time where our resources are already stretched with declining officer numbers. The last thing the service needs is officers not being able to finish their shift due to injury.”

The reported assaults on police ranged from being spat at, head-butted, kicked, punched and having missiles thrown at them.