West Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner has supported a zero tolerance approach to those who assault emergency services.
The message comes as this week police announced they would be escorting firefighters on busy Bonfire Night weekend.
Mark Burns-Williamson said: “This Bonfire Night, I urge people to stop and think about what emergency workers, police officers, firefighters and paramedics do to keep us all safe.
“How they run towards danger when the first instinct is to run away from it and how they save lives every single day.
“And how we owe them so much and protecting them from harm has to be our priority.”
Latest Home Office figures show 24,000 police officers were assaulted nationally in 2016-17.
In a bid to deter offenders who assault emergency services new Government legislation is being proposed.
The assault of emergency workers Bill by Labour MP Chris Bryant seeks to give special protection for paramedics, nurses, firefighters, police and other 999 staff who are abused, attacked or spat at while carrying out their work.
If approved it will introduce a new offence of assault or battery committed against an emergency worker, with a maximum penalty of a 12 month prison sentence when tried in the Crown court.
And it will enable bodily samples to be taken from suspects of offences against emergency workers which may pose a risk of the transmission of an infectious disease.
Mr Burns Williamson added: “There has to be a deterrent and I fully support the zero tolerance message because those thinking of committing these despicable attacks need to know the consequences and consider the recklessness of their actions - and that they will rightly face strong action and prosecution.”
