The number of working days lost by Kirklees police officers injured on duty has more than doubled in a year.
A total of 121 days were taken off by West Yorkshire Police officers up to the end of October this year, compared with 48 in the whole of 2015 and 54 in 2014.
This year has seen 91 injury reports by Kirklees officers, rise of 10 on the previous year.
In 2014 the figure was 54, in 2013 it was 109 and in 2012 it was 77.
The figures have been revealed in a Freedom of Information response published on the Force's website.
This year, the injuries sustained included:
* Three fractures
* Three involving ‘multiple injuries’
* Five ‘lacerations and open wounds’
* A total of 28 sprains and strains
* Twenty two incidents of ‘contusions and bruising’
* One incident involving ‘asphyxia or poisonings’
The figures do not reveal whether the injuries were the result of an assault or an accident.
The police have confirmed that in just two months from October 1 to November 30 there were 241 assaults reported averaging around four a day across West Yorkshire.
The attacks left 33 officers injured.
Chief Constable Dee Collins said: “We are becoming increasingly concerned about the number and nature of assaults being committed upon our officers. What particularly concerns me is the levels and types of these assaults. Some of them are resulting in injuries to officers and staff and that means that not only do they have to have treatment, they may also be away from the workplace. That leads to concerns for their families and it also means there are not going to be available to provide a service to the public of West Yorkshire.
“Police officers do a difficult and dangerous job, and it is utterly unacceptable that they should be treated in this way while attending incidents to try and keep potential victims safe. When it does occur we commit to investigating them thoroughly, just like any other offence of violence.
“The force is also working with the Judiciary, Police Federation and the Crown Prosecution Service to improve our processes at prosecuting assaults on officers and staff at courts and in assisting them in sentencing offenders.
“Our officers are not superheroes, they are ordinary people doing a very difficult job as best they can. Knowing they have their communities behind them makes all the difference.”
