A man has been charged with assault and possession of a knife over an incident in which police officers were injured.
The man, in his 40s and from Luton, has been charged with assault of an emergency worker, possession of a knife in a public place and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
He was arrested following an incident in Luton town centre on Sunday, August 2, in which two officers were injured, with one needing hospital treatment.
That was one of six separate incidents where police officers were assaulted over the weekend.
That included a car being driven at an officer who was attempting to stop the vehicle while on foot in Luton on Sunday, August 2.
More than 250 people have been charged with assaults on Bedfordshire Police officers since April 2020.
Last year a case featured on a BBC documentary where a man drove a car at Bedfordshire officers’ and caused them serious injuries, for which he was jailed for two years.
Bedfordshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Sharn Basra said: “Sadly, incidents like these from the weekend are becoming all too frequent.
“On average, 28 of our officers and staff get assaulted at work every month. That is completely unacceptable.
“I am proud of the support we provide to those who have to endure this treatment in their everyday business of keeping people safe.
“But we will also pursue anyone who assaults a police officer as they carry out their duties. We will not tolerate this behaviour and action will be taken.”
We offer enhanced support to our officers following an assault through ‘Maggie’s Law’, which is named after the daughter of PC Jon Henry, who was killed on duty in Luton in June 2007.
Anyone who is assaulted while on duty receives direct contact from a member of the chief officer team to check on their welfare and to offer any support which is needed.
Officers are urged to complete Victim Impact Statements for the courts to consider at the time of sentencing, while the Chief Constable and the force’s other most senior officers also complete an Impact Statement to reinforce the officer’s own.
Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner Festus Akinbusoye said: “I am extremely concerned about the assaults on our police officers here in Bedfordshire and my thoughts are with those affected by these incidents.
“Any assault on an emergency worker is absolutely unacceptable and must be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
“The current legislation going through parliament will double sentencing for those who assault emergency service workers from 12 to 24 months. I welcome this plan but want the government to go further by introducing a mandatory minimum custodial sentence instead.”
Inspector Emma Carter, from the Bedfordshire Police Federation, said: “Assaulting a police officer is never okay. Police officers go to work to help protect the public and safeguard our most vulnerable.
“Yes, they attend violent incidents and can deal with unpredictable individuals, but this is not and cannot be an excuse to assault those going to help.
“The federation launched the seven point plan some years ago which was fully implemented in Bedfordshire, this has now evolved and assaults on our officers and staff are taken seriously.
“We hope this is reflected in the sentences imposed by the courts and CPS, using the full strength of the new legislation available to them.”
