Essex Police shows injuries suffered by police officers as it asks for more protections

Essex Police Federation has asked for more protections for its officers as it shares photographs of injuries they have suffered.

The Federation has asked for protection for the police, as well as better equipment and is welcoming stricter punishments for those who assault emergency workers.

The Chief Constable of Essex Police, Steven Kavanagh, said: "Appalling. Too many Essex Police officers assaulted this weekend keeping the county safe. More needs to be done."

The Assistant Chief Constable, Andy Prophet, revealed that 12 police officers in Essex were injured over the weekend while on the job.

Steve Taylor, Federation Chairman, has said that more Tasers and better equipment, as well as a  better resourced police service, would further protect Essex Police officers from injury and attack.

He said: "I’m encouraged by the cross-party support that the ‘Protect the Protectors’ bill has received around protection for emergency service workers.”

"It’s encouraging that all of our MPs here in Essex seem to be behind it, and we’ve had MPs speaking about the matter in Parliament, which is good and demonstrates that the efforts we’ve made locally to lobby our MPs is paying off to some degree.

"Let’s not forget that ‘Protect the Protectors’ is a wider collection of issues, not just this one, and we’re very keen that the success we’ve had in the emergency services workers protection bill can be replicated in protection for police drivers.

 "The nature of police hasn’t changed. There are fewer of us trying to do more, which will increase the risk.

"We’re trying to keep our officers as safe as we can, we’re trying to equip them with the very best that we can equip them with, and will continue to make those arguments and put those reasons to the Chief Officer team and the force."

The Emergency Workers (Offences) Bill passed the second reading stage in October.

It would introduce a new triable either way offence of assault or battery against an emergency worker, with a maximum penalty of a 12 month prison sentence; introduce a statutory aggravating factor for the courts to consider when sentencing certain assaults; and enable samples to be taken from people who spit at officers.