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Union wants stab vests after attack
A KNIFE attack on a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) in Victoria has sparked calls from union officials for stab vests to be issued to all its front-line officers.
The driver of a police van was on Tuesday slashed in Victoria Street at 10am.
The 39-year-old PCSO was wearing a protective vest and survived with wounds to his face and arms.
Eyewitness Tracey Harmer, who works for a luxury jeweller in Victoria Street, said: “He was covered in blood but awake. You just don’t expect to see that early in the morning.”
Ben Priestley, Unison’s national officer responsible for PCSOs, said: “This incident shows that their work can be dangerous and reinforces the need for all forces in England and Wales to provide their PCSOs with protective equipment, including stab vests.”
Pressure from the Police Federation, representing 140,000 police officers, has seen all London’s Met police officers issued with “Met Vests”.
But a spokesman said it was now time they were mandatory “for all operational policing” across the country.
He said: “The federation has campaigned for some time on the vital issue of front-line officer safety.”
Ian Hutchinson, of no fixed abode, appeared before Westminster Magistrate’s yesterday, Thursday, charged with assault. |
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