LISTEN: Mixed reaction to PSNI rolling out spit and bite guards across all operational officers

By Q Radio News

The PSNI is to extend its roll-out of spit and bite guards to all operational police officers for the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The devices are designed to reduce the dangers for officers and staff dealing with persons who may spit or bite, They were first used in March 2020 by certain PSNI officers in certain units.

Assistant Chief Constable Jonathan Roberts from Operational Support Department explains; “We have conducted our own research into spitting and biting incidents involving our staff.  This has shown the psychological impact on our police officers and police staff following a spitting and biting assault.

“Our analysis also shows that the majority of spitting and biting incidents are being reported by Local Policing Teams and Neighbourhood Policing Team officers. These represent 82.9% of the total of reported spitting and biting incidents from 1 January 2020 to 3 November 2020. The officers and staff currently issued with Spit and Bite Guards comprise 11.1%* of the total reported incidents within that period.

“After careful consideration, we have decided to issue all operational police officers with Spit and Bite Guards as a temporary measure for the duration of the Pandemic.

“Anyone being issued with Spit and Bite Guards must complete mandatory online training. Officers must activate Body Worn Video when a Spit and Bite Guard is deployed and every use of a Spit and Bite Guard must be notified to the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (PONI).

“An enhanced roll out which will commence on 18th December fulfils the Chief Constable’s obligations under Health and Safety legislation which requires him to provide safe systems of work for all employees.

“We recognise this is a sensitive issue and I want to reassure the public that human rights considerations of deploying a Spit and Bite Guard are at the forefront of this decision.

“Each month the Chief Constable will continue to review his decision to issue Spit and Bite Guards.  We also inform the Northern Ireland Policing Board Human Rights Advisor of the number of incidents when Spit and Bite Guards have been used.

“Spit and Bite Guards have been used a total of 70 times since their introduction on the 16th March.  To date PONI has not received any complaints from members of the public relating to the use of Spit and Bite Guards.

“The vast majority of police services in England, Scotland and Wales have been using Spit and Bite Guards for some years.

“Since the introduction of Spit and Bite Guards in March we have engaged with our key stakeholders and will be conducting a full Equality Impact Assessment into the general issue of Spit and Bite Guards in a non-Covid environment.”

However, today's move by the PSNi has sparked anger with a spokesperson for the Policing Board saying:

“The Chief Constable has written to the Policing Board Chair advising of a decision to temporarily extend the use of Spit and Bite Guards to officers in other units across the PSNI with effect from 18 December 2020.

Please find below the Board's position in response to the statement issued on spit and bite guards. https://t.co/Q8w4oRwI3u pic.twitter.com/UmDX5Fen92

— NI Policing Board (@NIPolicingBoard) November 23, 2020

"The Board, in its recent review of the policing response to Covid-19, recommended that the current operational use of Spit and Bite Guards should be ceased with effect from 31 December 2020.  

"The published report sets out in some detail the rationale and basis for the recommendation made, the importance of meeting the duty of care responsibilities to officers and staff in respect of providing a safe working environment, the protection this equipment actually delivers along with the proportionality of its use on members of the public.

"Board Members will wish to discuss this decision with the Chief Constable at the Board meeting in December.”

However, the main body representing police officers here has backed the decision.

The decision to issue spit and bite guards to all frontline officers for the duration of the pandemic has been described as ‘sensible, proportionate and most welcome’ by the Police Federation for Northern Ireland (PFNI).

PFNI Chair, Mark Lindsay, says the guards will give officers increased protection during the pandemic and be an effective measure in limiting attacks on officers.

A common sense decision to roll out spit and bite guards to our frontline @PoliceServiceNI colleagues. The safeguards put in place for their use are appropriate and will ensure our colleagues will be professional as always in their deployment. @ChiefConPSNI @NIPolicingBoard https://t.co/9CBQSbQGXs

— Police Federation for Northern Ireland (@PoliceFedforNI) November 23, 2020

Mark Lindsay

Mr Lindsay said: “The Chief Constable is to be congratulated for making this decision. Within the PSNI, it will be universally welcomed. The PFNI has consistently made the case for the wholesale introduction of spit and bite guards to all frontline officers who too often have to deal with offenders who spit at or bite them.

“I recognise this decision may be criticised by some, but I would respond by saying that our men and women have human rights, too, and deserve to be protected when threatened and assaulted.

“Safeguards will be in place with officer body-worn video providing irrefutable evidence of safe usage in difficult circumstances. Each time a guard is used, the incident will be referred to the Police Ombudsman. No other Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) comes close to providing officers with the protection they get from spit and bite guards.

“Police officers deal with violent offenders on a daily basis. With 237 spitting/biting incidents since April there is an obvious need to protect officers who are spat at by people who say they have Covid-19 or other infectious diseases.

“Issuing spit and bite guards to frontline officers is sensible, proportionate and most welcome. They will cut down on officer injuries and greatly reduce the genuine fear officers have of being spat at by an infected person during this Covid-19 pandemic. They will give vital and necessary protection to frontline officers who are regularly subjected to intolerable attacks. They will also reduce the amount of physical force sometimes required to restrain an offender engaging in this abhorrent style of assault.

“In no way do spit and bite guards conflict with Human Rights legislation. Police officers are victims of crime in these circumstances and should be afforded the best protection possible. We are delighted this decision has been made and look forward to an extensive roll-out.”