PSNI assaults: Officer speaks out about being choked and punched

"His hands were around my throat and he struck me in the face."

A police officer who was choked and punched during an assault has said the attack made her want to quit the force.

The woman, a 29-year-old PSNI officer in Mid Ulster, had been dealing with a man arrested at the scene of a road traffic incident when he tried to strangle her.

"I wanted to join the police since I was 16 but I wanted to leave after that happened," she said.

On Friday the PSNI said assaults resulting in injuries to officers are at a five-year high.

Since April of last year 923 assaults with injury on police officers have been recorded.

In 2021/22 that figure was 911 - up from 516 assaults with injury between April 2018 and March 2019.

"It was a routine call - there was no threat in my head as to what I would face," the officer told BBC News NI.

While she was dealing with one of the detained men in the back of a police car he began to get "very aggressive" and tried to open the car to get out.

The officer was trying to stop him.

"He was able to reach in and pull me into the vehicle on top of him to strangle me - he had his hands around my throat and also struck me in the face," she said.

"He had managed to get a hold of my body armour and that's how he dragged me into the car," she added.

"I could remember both of his hands coming up to either side of my throat and closing.

"I was screaming: 'Stop choking me,' and I was screaming into the police radio."

She called for assistance from colleagues who helped get the man off her.

The incident only lasted seconds but it felt like longer, the officer said.

"The whole situation went in very quickly, to the point where it was aggressive and volatile," she added.

After the assault a member of the public pointed out that her nose and lip were bleeding.

"I then remembered he had punched me in the face," she said.

While her injuries took a few days to recover from, the "emotional trauma" lasted longer.

"I felt embarrassed talking to family about it. My sergeant was brilliant and put me though occupational health which provides counselling," she said

"It has made me appreciate how quickly a situation can change," the officer added. "Someone who may presents as calm initially - there are other underlying factors like drugs and alcohol that can turn it quickly."

The officer said what happened in the space of seconds was enough to make her want to give up the job she had always dreamed of doing.

"I do not go into jobs expecting to be assaulted and it shouldn't be seen as a norm but it happens more often than is reported on," she said.

She added: "For all the horrible days, you get the good days too. I'm glad I stayed on."

The number of assaults resulting in injuries to officers has been rising steadily over recent years, the PSNI said.

"Too often our officers are the focus of people's aggression," PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton added.

"Being a police officer has always been a tough job but being spat at and spat on, kicked, punched or bitten is not 'part of the job'.

"Our officers are sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers. They are public servants, but they're not punch bags."

Another female officer, who along with five colleagues was assaulted last weekend in Strabane, said that during her 15-year career she has been assaulted about a dozen times.

Anyone who thinks assaulting police is acceptable, she said, should "remember we are human beings as well".

"We have families too, and we're doing our job. We don't deserve to be assaulted," she said.

The Police Federation for Northern Ireland (PFNI), which represents officers, said greater deterrents to prevent assaults on officers are needed.

PFNI chair Liam Kelly has called for tougher sentencing by the courts. He also sees Tasers as an option in trying to counter the "epidemic of assaults".

"Taser is a proven deterrent. It makes the would-be attacker think twice and in many instances a violent confrontation is averted because of its presence, thus minimising the risk of potential serious assault and injury to our officers," he said.

Northern Ireland's Policing Board said attacks on officers are "completely unacceptable" and questioned if current legislation is tough enough on attackers.

It is crucial that all officers who are assaulted receive proper support, a spokesperson said.

"Being attacked is not anybody's 'normal day' at work, nor should it be," they added.