'Police officers should not be punchbags' says Northamptonshire police rep amid plea for force to 'protect the protectors'

The head of an organisation that represents Northamptonshire’s police officers has said that they need better protection against assaults.

Northamptonshire Police Federation Chair Sam Dobbs said that the his officers should not ‘expect to be punchbags’ and said he had held meetings with force bosses to press the need for increased protection.

His comments come weeks after two Northamptonshire police officers were attacked with a knife. A man has since been charged in connection with a knife attack on police officers and was remanded in custody ahead of his next appearance at Northampton Crown Court in May.

“Police officers should expect to be exposed to life in its rawest form, as they deal with some of the most challenging aspects of society. However, they don’t sign up to be human punchbags. They cannot and should not take a beating in any form,” said Sam, adding: “That is why we must prosecute these assaults accordingly.

“It’s also important that we report how the courts deal with such assaults on police officers. We need our members and the public to know that there are consequences to these actions.

“I’m very grateful to our local media publications, the Northampton Chronicle and Echo and the Northamptonshire Telegraph for making a point of reporting. The public needs to know, they need to hear when our officers are being wrongly assaulted.

“And that is why I continue to share these stories on my social media channels when possible.”

Sam said that in recent weeks, he met with Acting Chief Constable Ivan ​​Balhatchet to discuss the need for society to protect the protectors.

He continued: “Every single day, our officers leave their families, their loved ones and their homes, to go out and protect the public - and that is part of their job. Assaults on officers, however, should not be part of the job.

“Our members shouldn’t head into work, worried that they might be injured while on duty. Their partners, their children and their parents shouldn’t fear a phone call telling them that their loved one is in hospital having been assaulted.”

In the year ending March 2023 there were just over 40,000 assaults on police officers across England and Wales. Of these, 11,000 assaults resulted in an injury.

Sam said: “Unfortunately assaults on officers are becoming far too common and that needs to change.”

“The correct legislation, procedures and prosecution must be in place for us to better protect the protectors - this needs to be taken seriously. And that is why the Police Federation so vigorously supported making assaults on emergency workers an offence.”

- Gordon Finnlayson, 39, of Duncarnock Crescent, Neilston, Glasgow, has been charged with one count of grievous bodily harm and two counts of attempted grievous bodily harm in relation to the knife attack on two police officers.

The charges refer to an incident in Hazelwood Road, Northampton, at about 11pm on Friday, March 8, when a man suffered lacerations to the face and two police officers were attacked with a knife. He will appear before the crown court in May.