Shocking map shows the most dangerous places in the UK to be a police officer as assaults rise

Assaults on police officers are on the rise across the country, with this map revealing the most dangerous places to be a cop.

Last year there were more than 44,000 assaults on police officers in England and Wales, with one in four attacks causing injury to the officer. That was a 9% increase from about 41,000 assaults in 2022 and 48% higher than five years ago before the pandemic in 2019 when there were under 33,000 incidents.

In 2023, more officers were assaulted in Birmingham than anywhere else. There were a total of 1,292 assaults on police constables recorded in Birmingham with well over half of those attacks so serious that they left the officer suffering an injury.

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Leeds was next with 759 assaults on officers and then Bristol, with 658 assaults.

But when compared to the size of the population officers are required to police, cops serving in one part of the North East were more at risk than anywhere else.

In the last three years, there have been 840 officer assaults in Middlesbrough, the equivalent of 566 attacks for every 100,000 of the population. That was followed by Stevenage in Hertfordshire where there were the equivalent of 547 assaults per 100,000 population, and then Norwich (468 crimes per 100,000 population).

That excludes Westminster, where there is a much higher rate of attacks on Met Police officers when compared to the resident population - 799 assaults for every 100,000 people.

But officers in Westminster are also responsible for policing extremely high numbers of tourists in addition to people who live in the London borough. The area is also often a focus for major protests.

You can see the number and rate of attacks on police constables where you live using our interactive map below.

In Manchester there have been numerous cases before the courts involving brutal attacks on police officers.

Jacob Brown tried to kill a police officer by stabbing him in the neck. He went on to attack a second officer in the same incident in July last year.

Whilst on remand in prison waiting for his case to come to court, the 27-year-old also stabbed two prison officers in two separate incidents. In the second of those attacks, he used a ‘hard plastic prison-issue knife’ which had been sharpened to a point to repeatedly stab a guard while appearing in court via video link.

He was handed an indefinite hospital order by a court after it was said he had a ‘tendency to be very violent’ when in the midst of a psychotic episode.

Sarah Jagger has a 16-year history of attacking police officers, shopkeepers and nurses. Jagger was initially convicted of battery in 2007 but after being conditionally discharged was convicted of threatening behaviour that same year. In 2008 she was given a six-month community order for common assault.

In 2017 she was being treated in hospital for an undisclosed illness when she grabbed a nurse and kneed her in the head as she was being given medication.

Another nurse tried to help but she was kneed and kicked to her side and grabbed by her right arm by Jagger who then threw a monitor and mobile phone at a third member of staff.

She was later given a suspended sentence for assault but just two months later was arrested again after she punched one female police officer in the face then struck a male officer in the chest as they were detaining her for shoplifting at a Debenhams store.

She was most recently back in court in December last year after attacking a prison officer as she delivered Jagger her lunch at Styal women’s jail. She was handed a suspended sentence after admitting assault.

And Lakardi Zakariya was on a train when he was asked by a member of staff to see his ticket. He became aggressive causing another member of staff to get involved.

He was reported to the British Transport Police, who boarded the train when it got to Rochdale. He then turned on the officers - assaulting one and leaving them with ‘minor injuries’.

He was jailed for 12 weeks after admitting assault on an emergency worker and being drunk and disorderly in a public place.

A National Police Chiefs' Council spokesperson said: “The health and wellbeing of our workforce is a top priority for all police chiefs, and we are constantly listening to feedback from those on the ground.

“Policing is a stressful job, and officers can be exposed to some of life's most challenging situations, which is why they are specially trained to try and reduce the risk to themselves and others.

“Assaults on our frontline workers are absolutely deplorable, and what makes these figures even more unacceptable is that officers come to harm when trying to keep others and the wider community safe.

“These figures highlight the reality faced by many officers on a daily basis and it is only right that offenders are identified and put before the courts so they can be prosecuted.

“We recognise the challenges of the role and the impact this can have on our workforce which is why we work closely with Oscar Kilo, the National Police Wellbeing Service (NPWS), which provides support and guidance for police forces across England and Wales to improve and build organisational wellbeing, working in conjunction with leading charities and staff associations. Managing wellbeing is an open-ended process and we are committed to doing all we can to ensure our workforce remain robust, resilient and ask for support when needed.”

Mike Peake, Greater Manchester Police Federation Chair, said: “Despite the introduction of the Assaults on Emergency Workers Act in November 2018, we have continued to see a steady rise, year on year in the number of assaults on GMP police officers. This is a clear indication that much more needs to be done to protect those who seek to keep the communities of Greater Manchester safe.

“Nobody should come to work and expect to be assaulted. The statistics clearly evidence the risks that our dedicated and brave officers face daily, and it’s about time that tougher sentencing be given out for those who show no respect for those who uphold the law.”

“Physical injuries may heal but the mental impact of assaults on officers and other emergency workers can be long lasting and damaging"

Assistant Chief Constable Matt Boyle, said: “Our officers work day in and day out to keep the public safe. Every officer goes to work each day and night to keep people safe and they should not expect to be assaulted at work.

“Physical injuries may heal but the mental impact of assaults on officers and other emergency workers can be long lasting and damaging.

“Displays of violence against our officers who are simply going about their duties is unspeakable, and won’t be tolerated in Greater Manchester. We will always support our staff and push for prosecutions. Now, more than ever, we must stand together and support each other.”