Police Federation rejects call to phase out spit guards in NI - ‘our officers fear contracting Covid’

The controversial guards were introduced earlier this year following an upsurge in reports of police officers being spat at and bitten during the coronavirus pandemic.

But now in a Thematic Review of the Policing Response to Covid-19, the Policing Board stated that the use of spit hoods should cease by December 31.

The report found that personal protection equipment should be adequate to protect officers instead.

Police Federation chair Mark Lindsay said: “All too often, officers have been attacked by people who either attempt to bite them or spit at them as they resist arrest.

“We are of the firm view that spit and bite guards afford additional and much-needed protection for officers who fear for their own health and well-being.

“They fear contracting Covid-19 or other infectious diseases. Officers have human rights, too, and it is wrong to deny them a key piece of protective equipment - equipment and protection they have been crying out for over many years.”

He added: “There is an ever-increasing trend of violent individuals spitting at or biting police officers and in the period from 16th April to 5th November 2020, 237 such incidents have been recorded.

“Nowhere in this report do I see a viable alternative that would reduce the risk to my colleagues from this type of assault.

“It is suggested that spit and bite guards should be replaced by Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), which is not defined in the report. Face guards, or other undefined PPE, worn by officers or members of the public being assaulted in this manner, are not practicable or a feasible alternative to spit and bite guards in circumstances where they are confronted by violent individuals.

“It is also worth noting that spit and bite guards significantly reduce the amount of physical force required to stop a detained violent person from spitting or biting.

“I would urge both the Northern Ireland Policing Board and the PSNI to reject this suggestion as wholly impractical and ill-advised. Instead, they should focus on the rights of Police officers and members of the public who are the victims of these assaults.

“They should approve the more widespread use of spit and bite guards and support our colleagues who consistently put themselves in harm’s way to protect the public.”