MPs praise police representative for officer assaults campaign

ALL police forces have been urged to improve recording crimes against officers after work by the man who represents the rank-and-file in the area.

By The Newsroom

Published 5th Nov 2016, 06:00 BST

Updated 16th Nov 2016, 16:50 BST

John Apter, chairman of Hampshire Police Federation. Picture: Sarah Standing

MPs debated assaults on police on Wednesday.

Forces have now been told to better record data on assaults. MPs voted against a Labour amendment to increase sentences for attackers.

And Labour’s shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said: ‘I congratulate the chair of the Hampshire Police Federation, John Apter, on his work.

‘I am sure that we will not always agree, but his campaigning on the issue of violence against the police deserves the commendation of the whole House.’

Mr Apter has long campaigned over the issue.

Policing minister Brandon Lewis told MPs: ‘I can announce that from next year we are asking police forces to provide data on the number of assaults with injury on a police officer as part of their recorded crime data.

‘Creating this new crime classification is an important step.’