Assaults on North Wales Police officers

Several North Wales Police officers working within the Eastern Area were victims of violence in the course of their duties this weekend.

Significant assaults on officers in Wrexham and Flintshire were reported once again, with injuries reported by male and female staff.

These incidents follow a growing national trend that has seen a sharp increase in attacks on emergency workers in recent years.

Shortly before 11pm last night (6 February) we received reports of a male behaving aggressively at the Y Pentan pub in Mold.

Officers attended and were assaulted whilst attempting to detain the suspect.

One female officer was kicked in the face and sustained minor bruising, while her male colleague was spat at by the suspect.

A 24-year-old male was subsequently arrested for assault and public order offences.

On Friday (4 February), officers attended reports of an ongoing fight between males outside of the Hampden Arms pub in Acrefair.

When making an arrest of a male suspect, one officer was punched to the face and sustained cuts to his legs as the result of an attack.

In the early hours of Sunday morning (6 February), a male witnessed causing criminal damage on Wrexham’s Abbot Street has attempted to headbutt an arresting officer.

Reflecting on another weekend of unacceptable assaults on his officers, Superintendent Nick Evans said: “I don’t raise the incidents which have occurred over this weekend as being extraordinary, particular to this area of the force, or any more frequent than any other weekend.

“On the contrary, this was a relatively low-demand weekend at a fairly quiet time of the year.

"The assaults described are sadly a regular occurrence and it is for this reason it is so important that we remind ourselves and others that being assaulted is not and never will be just part of the job. No assault on any emergency service worker is ever acceptable.

“Police officers are resilient individuals who face danger and unpleasant tasks on a daily basis. All those officers assaulted over the weekend remained on duty and are taking no time off work before returning to their next shift.

“This is a practice which I see regularly and it is testimony to their commitment to the public service that they provide.

“However, I’ve not doubt that these officers and their families will be a little more anxious about their safety as they leave home for work in the future.

“I therefore make a plea to the public to continue to stand with and support their police officers, staff and volunteers, who attend work every day and face danger in order help and protect you.

“Please join me in calling out any violence towards emergency service workers, remembering that the public are the police and we are the public.”

Mark Jones, General Secretary and Treasurer of the North Wales Police Federation also commented: “Like all other emergency services, police officers go to work every single day to protect the public; running to danger when others run away.

“When a police officer, police staff or police volunteer is assaulted whilst doing their job it has an impact.

“It is an assault on society as a whole. Behind the uniform is a human being; a mum, dad, son, daughter, brother, sister.

“The scars, both physically and psychologically, can last forever following an attack and therefore we demand that those who are responsible face tough sentences.”