Police chiefs have raised concerns after a series of assaults on Suffolk police officers, including an incident in Bury St Edmunds where an officer was kicked three times in the leg while escorting a woman suspected of drink-driving to the cells at the Police Investigation Centre. The investigation into the Bury St Edmunds incident is ongoing, with the woman released on bail.

Chief Superintendent Alice Scott condemned the attacks, stating: “Our officers support and protect the community, and it is unacceptable that they are assaulted during their duties.” She emphasized that all assaults, whether physical violence or spitting, are appalling and that the police will work to prosecute the perpetrators.

The incident in Bury St Edmunds is part of a worrying trend of assaults on officers over the past 10 days across Suffolk. In Lowestoft, an officer was kicked in the chest and another bitten. In Ipswich, officers were punched and headbutted in separate incidents. Other assaults occurred in Newmarket, Worlington, Stowmarket, and Bungay, with a range of charges brought against the suspects.

Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore also condemned the attacks, stating: “Any attack on our police officers is utterly deplorable. These individuals should feel the full force of the law.”

Officers in Suffolk receive extensive training to reduce the risk of harm, but authorities stress that these assaults highlight the dangers faced by police while protecting the public.