THE States police want to identify a man who they say intentionally spat in the face of an officer on patrol during a “deeply concerning” rise in spitting incidents.
The force said that the “entirely unprovoked” assault occurred just before 5pm on Wednesday 11 December when an officer was driving a marked patrol vehicle along St Aubin’s Road towards Cheapside.
The man was dressed in a black jacket, a blue hooded top and was riding a scooter.
The police have released footage of the incident in an effort to identify the individual involved.
Current figures suggest that the number of spitting incidents against the police this year is likely to be the highest in the past five years, according to the force.
Police chief Robin Smith said: “The rise in spitting incidents against our officers is deeply concerning.
“Such acts are not only highly disrespectful but also pose significant health risks.
“We urge the community to support our officers by reporting any incidents and providing any information that could help us identify and apprehend the offenders.
“We maintain a strict zero-tolerance policy towards any assaults on our staff.”
The force said that any officers who had been spat on in the face had to attend hospital to undergo health assessments for infectious diseases.
Anyone who may have seen this incident take place, may be able to identify the suspect, or who has any other information that could be helpful, including any dashcam footage, is asked to contact the police on 612612 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through the anonymous online form at Crimestoppers-uk-org.
