MOVES to reduce the number of assaults on police officers are not being backed by the courts, according to rank and file 'bobbies'.

Last year a new law, Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act, came into force, but the secretary of the North Wales Police Federation Mark Jones says it is not being used as it should by the judiciary.

In November the Federation, along with Chief Constable Carl Foulkes and Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones, launched an eight-point plan stating that physical or verbal assaults against officers, staff and volunteers would not be tolerated. All line managers and supervisors were made aware of their responsibilities.

Writing in the current edition of the Federation newsletter Your Voice, Mark Jones says it should not be merely a question of paying lip-service to the plan and that a survey would be carried out soon among officers who have been assaulted to see whether it is being adhered to.

“If managers are not rigidly keeping to the plan it diminishes its credibility,” he said.

“A major concern for us in the Police Federation,” he continues “is the apparent lack of robust sentencing of those who commit assaults on our members.”

There was real hope and expectation, he says, that the new Act would result in stiff prison sentences.

He added: “Sadly, we are not seeing this and there is a feeling of being let down by the judiciary. This is not a battle we are going to let lie and we will continue to raise our concerns through the appropriate channels.

“The message needs to be crystal clear: if you assault or attack an emergency worker then expect to serve time at Her Majesty’s Pleasure.”

The Commissioner says the issue is a standing item on the agenda for the Local Criminal Justice Board, adding: “We will be holding the courts, Crown Prosecution Service, probation service and whoever to account to make sure that assaults on police are dealt with properly through the courts.”

Mark Jones welcomes the recent decision to train and equip an extra 100 front-line officers with tasers, taking the number to 400. About 200 of the old stock of tasers will also be replaced by more modern devices.

“This decision is certainly a step in the right direction to better protect our members and the aim is to continue the negotiation and conversation with the Force to get to the position where all front-line officers have the option to carry a taser.

Tasers are seen as an effective deterrent but in 80 per cent of cases where they are drawn they are not fired.