#Unacceptable number of emergency service assaults

31 October 2018, 11:21 | Updated: 31 October 2018, 11:26

The number of assaults on emergency services across the south west is rising.

Over the last 12 months South Western Ambulance Service Foundation Trust (SWASFT) staff reported 1,049 incidents relating to violence and aggression with an increase of 97 reports for the same period in 2016/17. 

It is thought that these figures do not represent the entirety of assaults, as many are never reported by the victims. 

Based on previous twelve-month figures, by the end of this year, over 1,400 police officers from Devon & Cornwall Police, Dorset Police and Avon & Somerset Police would have been assaulted while carrying out duties to keep the peace within their local communities - 491 in Devon & Cornwall Police. 

Police, ambulance, fire and healthcare staff are regularly subjected to attacks including serious injury, verbal abuse, spitting and biting, and even sexual assault from those they are trying to help. 

To get involved and show your support by posting your photos or videos to Twitter with the hashtag #Unacceptable or on the Facebook page UnacceptableNotPartOfTheJob. 

Full details are given on www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/unacceptable