Improved training techniques could reduce the number of frontline police officers injured by more than 50% when they are assaulted in the line of duty.
Police Scotland say officers in the Renfrewshire and Inverclyde sub division have been taking part in a pilot scheme delivering specialist training to assess if it leads to fewer injuries when cops are assaulted.
The force say it has been identified by analysts as “one of the most violent” subdivisions, where assaults on officers and the subsequent time off recovering from the injuries sustained were “among the highest nationally”.
The training involved a shift of officers practicing “refined tactics” in areas identified as most at risk of assault and harm – custody, vehicles and multi officer arrests.
Police Scotland say trial analysis shows while the training doesn’t reduce the chances of officers being assaulted it cut the risk of injury by 53%.
The news comes as almost 7500 frontline cops and staff were assaulted in a year – an average of 22 attacked every day.
Police Scotland data shows that 7356 officers and staff were assaulted in the 12 months to June – an increase of 8% from the year before.
Almost a quarter of cops suffered injuries as a result of their ordeal, with many said to experience “lasting physical and mental” consequences.
Data shows that between April and June alone there were 2002 officer and staff attacks recorded, 183 more compared to the same period last year, an increase of 8%.
A force report says: “Post-training analysis did identify that officers were 27% less likely to be injured from an assault in Inverclyde compared to their counterparts in comparable sub-divisions.
“Officers within Inverclyde were 53% less likely to be injured post-training compared to those who had yet to receive the training in the sub-division.
“The lowest rates of injury were noted from officers who had completed five or more training sessions, with the injury rate down 8.6 percentage points compared to officers who had completed one to four sessions.”
The report adds: “The overall assessment of the trial indicated that the training was a contributory factor in reducing the volume of injuries from assaults with the risk reducing further based on the number of sessions attended.
“Further analysis would, however, be required from a larger sample size to determine the overall effectiveness of the training and the extent to which it helps to reduce officer injuries.”
David Kennedy, General Secretary of the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), which represents 16,500 cops, says officers face the threat of harm on a daily basis.
He said: “The increase in assaults against officers and staff is deeply concerning and highlights the growing risks faced by those on the frontline.
“Every attack is an attack on someone simply doing their job – too often with lasting physical and mental consequences.
“The rising numbers reflect a worrying shift in the nature of violence and organised crime in our communities.”
He added: “It’s vital that those who carry out violence against police are held to account – and that the justice system sends a clear message that such behaviour will not be tolerated.”
