Police and ambulance staff around Notts speak out after latest attacks on emergency workers

Police and ambulance staff in Nottinghamshire say the amount of times staff are assaulted in the job is reaching intolerable levels.
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It comes after yet another incident where a police officer was spat at and the window to a police car was kicked in after officers were called to a report of disorder at a pub in Mansfield.

Nottinghamshire Police were called to the pub after door staff had detained following a member of their team had been assaulted.

A 40-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of actual bodily harm following the incident at the pub in Clumber Street at around 9.10pm on Thursday night.This comes just days after ambulance staff were also assaulted while carrying out their life saving duties.

A police officer was spat at in MansfieldA police officer was spat at in Mansfield
A police officer was spat at in Mansfield

On Sunday, paramedics from the East Midlands Ambulance Service were punched and spat at after being called to an incident in Wollaton at around 2am.It resulted in a man being detained under the mental health act.

Over the last few months and weeks there has been a noted increase in attacks on emergency workers, with police in particular seeing incidents on a weekly basis.

Concerns have been echoed nationally with attacks on police officers topping 100 a day, and work is now being done to understand why this significant increase is happening in order to work out how to counter it.

Chief Superintendent Mat Healey said: "I'm utterly appalled to see further incidents where key workers have been subjected to abuse and violence as they carry out their work on the front-line.

“These people work tirelessly to serve and protect the public and are carrying out vital duties to investigate crimes, treat people for health concerns and keep our communities safe from harm.

"We have repeatedly stressed that this is not just part of the job and any assault on emergency workers – physical or verbal - will be treated as a crime and dealt with accordingly.

"The response sergeant who was spat at showed incredible restraint and remained professional throughout the incident. This is despite being subjected to violence to the extent that the suspect smashed one of our police car windows whilst resisting arrest.

"Thankfully he was not injured but will undoubtedly have been affected by what happened. Our officers welfare is our priority and we are working with him to ensure they're supported going forward.

“All emergency service workers have the right to go about their duties without being assaulted. Together with our partners, we have made it clear that this type of behaviour won't be tolerated.”

Mark Ward, security management specialist at East Midlands Ambulance Service, said: “Assaults on our staff are absolutely unacceptable and we take a zero-tolerance approach towards anyone who verbally or physically assaults them.

"Our frontline colleagues, as well as our team in our 999-control room, are here to help people, not to be assaulted, and they deserve to be treated with respect.

"We will continue to support any of our colleagues who are assaulted on the frontline while trying to help others and to work with the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to prosecute those who abuse our colleagues."

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