Four Northumbria Police officers were attacked while on duty on the same day.
Shortly after 1am on Saturday, police were called to Fordfield Road in Sunderland after it was reported an offender had been seen trying to break into a white Transit van.
Officers arrived on scene and arrested a man who matched the caller’s description nearby.
But the 42-year-old was unwilling to be detained and became violent and threw punches at the two male officers in attendance. One suffered a broken bone in his hand as a result of the incident.
Later on the same day, at around 7pm, two PCs stopped a man in the Elizabeth Street area of Houghton-le-Spring who matched the description of a burglary suspect.
After a quick search, the suspect was found to be in possession of a controlled drug – at which point he became extremely aggressive and assaulted the male and female officers.
The male officer suffered a suspected broken finger as a result of the attack, while the female PC suffered bruising to her face and legs.
A second suspect was also arrested nearby on suspicion of being in possession of a controlled drug.
Superintendent Barrie Joisce has condemned both attacks saying: "“It is extremely disappointing that four of our officers were injured after being assaulted on Saturday when dealing with two separate incidents.
“On both occasions, a suspect has become aggressive when stopped and has decided to violently assault our officers during their course of duty.
“This type of behaviour simply will not be tolerated. Officers come to work each day to protect the communities they serve and help people – but clearly in their roles, they know they could be faced with dangerous situations.
“However, such violence and hostility almost beggars belief and it is absolutely vital that anyone who attacks emergency service personnel is brought to justice.
“I would like to praise the bravery of all four officers involved – they have shown an outstanding dedication and professionalism in putting public safety before their own, and I would like to thank each of them for their exemplary conduct during incredibly difficult circumstances.”
Investigations are ongoing into both incidents. The 42-year-old man arrested on Fordfield Road has been released on police bail, while the two men arrested on Elizabeth Street remain under investigation.
