Exclusive: Assaults on Police officers in Norfolk hit record high in 2025
914 of these crimes were recorded by Norfolk Constabulary last year- an over seven percent rise on 2024's figures
We can exclusively reveal that there was close to a thousand assaults on Police officers here, last year.
Official figures seen by us show there were 914 in 2025- the highest seen across Norfolk in more than ten years.
"The sentencing they're handing down at the moment is clearly not working as a deterrent"
Andy Symonds is chair of the county's Police Federation and has been a victim of this in the past:
"The whole situation has moved on from officers hoping that they aren't going to be assaulted to, when I am assaulted I just pray and hope that's it's not too serious so I can carry on doing my job.
"So what we really need is a hard-line. If you're going to assault an emergency worker then you should face the full force of the law.
"That would act as a proper deterrent, when people realise that when they do this they will always face a lengthy prison sentence. Unfortunately that isn't always the case at the moment.
"We started with something called 'protect the protectors' and we got a new bit of legislation in which is really good.
"But beyond this- what I want the criminal justice service at least to realise is that the sentencing they're handing down at the moment is clearly not working as a deterrent.
"What we need to get better at in the Constabulary is ensuring that those assaulted are always treated as victims and update them as such.
"Involve them in the decision-making around the Crown Prosecution Service when they make calls around what they're going to be prosecuting".
The figures in full:
(Source: Norfolk Constabulary)
Norfolk Constabulary and Norfolk's Police and Crime Commissioner have been contacted for comment.
What's the punishment for assaulting a Police officer?
The Home Office says the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018 is in place for those who work for the Police, NHS or Fire Services
Updates made to this legislation means the maximum penalties for those found guilty is two years imprisonment for common assault or battery.