Spit guards to be trialled by police in Newham
Police are trialling spit hoods in north east London. - Credit: Archant
Controversial spit guards are to be used by police in Newham custody suites, as part of a three month trial by The Metropolitan Police.
From today mesh fabric hoods will be placed over the heads of suspects, who officers believe could bite or spit on them – to prevent the transfer of bodily fluids.
Campaign group Liberty has described the guards as cruel and degrading, but The Met says it “has a duty of care to its officers and staff”.
A statement released today says: “The issue of spitting and biting is a real problem – a particularly unpleasant form of assault, it rightly generates much concern amongst officers.
“Some of the follow-up treatment required after such an assault can be prolonged and unpleasant.”
You may also want to watch:
Spit guards are already used by 22 forces across the UK, including within London by British Transport Police (BTP).
The pilot scheme has been launched following a consultation in Newham, and with The Met’s national partners.
Most Read
- 1 Jailed man caught with knife in Stratford to be handed court order
- 2 Cause of death remains unknown after body found in disused Forest Gate pub
- 3 Thames Barrier closing for 200th time amid potential east London flooding
- 4 Worshippers at mosque in Upton Park aim to raise £35k for Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal 2021
- 5 Man given community order for 26 counts of criminal damage after scratching name into property
- 6 Forest Gate triple shooting: 'Safety is everybody's business,' councillor says
- 7 Body found in derelict pub in Forest Gate
- 8 Hundreds arrested after police crackdown on county lines
- 9 Newham mathematician to fill in for Countdown presenter and expectant mum Rachel Riley
- 10 Player ratings: Cresswell shines for West Ham in KRC Genk victory
The trial will take place in custody suites as they are controlled, supervised environments monitored by CCTV.
Afterwards the effectiveness will be gauged by The Met and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC).
