Assaults on police jump 50 per cent in five years in Blacktown
Blacktown and Penrith police are being shot at, punched, spat on and bitten more now than any time in the past decade, the latest crime figures show.
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Blacktown and Penrith police are being shot at, punched, spat on and bitten more now than any time in the past decade, in an alarming trend seen in this week’s Penrith police shooting.
Crime figures from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research reveal officers across Blacktown and Penrith cities were assaulted an average of four times a week in the past year, with an overall increase in police attacks in the past five years.
In the Blacktown LGA, which includes Blacktown, Mt Druitt and Quakers Hill Police Area Commands, attacks on police have risen more than 50 per cent over the past five years, up from 93 incidents in 2014-15 to 141 incidents in 2018-19.
Figures from the Penrith LGA paint a similar picture, with assaults on police rising 20 per cent in the same five-year period - from 69 assaults in 2014-15 to 83 assaults in the year to June 2019.
The figures paint a concerning picture for police safety during a week of highly-publicised attacks, including shootings outside Penrith and St Marys police stations on Wednesday night, which left several officers injured and one hospitalised with a pellet wound to the back of the head.
This comes after a 31-year-old man allegedly pushed an officer down the stairs at St Marys station on Monday night while evading arrest. On Saturday night, five officers were allegedly assaulted in Rooty Hill by a 23-year-old man who remains before the courts.
Police Association of NSW acting president Kevin Morton said Wednesday night’s attack on Nepean police was “disturbing”.
“It was an extremely dangerous situation, requiring a brave response and we are grateful under these circumstances that no officers were killed,” Mr Morton said.
“The stark fact of this is that officers are and were targeted. The Police Association acted immediately to have our experienced staff on site to provide support for our members’ welfare and care needs at a time like this.”
Despite Wednesday’s targeted attack, Blacktown and Mt Druitt police say the bulk of assaults on police are happening during their day-to-day duties.
Blacktown relieving crime manager Detective Senior Sergeant Adam Wilson said despite an increase in penalties, police assaults were increasingly common.
“We are seeing male and female police officers being assaulted, not so much in targeted attacks, but simply responding to day-to-day jobs. That’s the day-to-day nature of it,” Det Snr Sgt Wilson said.
“It can be from anything from a simple move-along direction to an arrest of a violent offender who’s exhibiting violence from the time the police attend.
“There is an overrepresentation of alcohol and drugs in assaults on police and there’s other incidents where it’s an actual dislike of police.”
He said it was concerning to witness a rise in attacks on all emergency services crews in recent decades.
“It is a form of disrespect, but it depends on your point of view. Most right-thinking people in the community would see it as a sign of disrespect and see it as wrong, but others may see that as normal behaviour.
“The trend is, emergency services workers are out there trying to do a job and they get assaulted. It’s worse than it was 10, 20, 30 years ago.”
In the Mt Druitt command, a senior constable was lucky to escape without injury after he was allegedly dragged 200 metres while hanging out a car window in Bidwill last month.
In another disturbing attack, a probationary constable was bitten on the arm during an altercation at Minchinbury McDonald’s in July.
Mt Druitt crime manager Detective Inspector Paul Tickner said mixture of drugs, alcohol and mental health issues were major factors in the vast majority of police assaults.
“There’s a general lack of respect towards police. Drugs, alcohol and mental health are a major factor,” Det Insp Tickner said.
“Often we are going into volatile situations. Domestics are the number one call for assistance in the Blacktown area, so we’re going to people’s houses and sometimes they’re not happy when they have to be taken away by us and it may result in violence.
“We don’t come to work to be assaulted. Any trend upwards is concerning. The majority of assaults on police are not in the most serious category, most fall under the common assault category.”
Assaulting police, which includes using violence and making threats towards an officer, carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment in NSW. Harsher penalties are applied in cases of actual or grievous bodily harm, which carry up to 12 and 14 years in jail, respectively.
ASSAULTS ON POLICE - BLACKTOWN LGA (INCIDENTS)
2014-15: 93
2015-16: 97
2016-17: 109
2017-18: 125
2018-19: 141
ASSAULTS ON POLICE - PENRITH LGA (INCIDENTS)
2014-15: 69
2015-16: 91
2016-17: 94
2017-18: 86
2018-19: 83