Police have released footage of a thug ripping out a clump of an officer’s hair to raise awareness about the violence they often face.
In the clip captured on her body-worn camera, Pc Emma Agyei can be heard screaming in pain as she is pinned to the floor by her attacker and he tears at her hair.
Pc Agyei and a colleague had been called to a domestic disturbance in Bradley, Wolverhampton, in May last year when she was assaulted, The Press Association reports.
Both officers were placing the 50-year-old suspect in the police van when his son came out and began verbally abusing them before knocking Pc Agyei to the floor.
The 24-year-old smashed her head against the pavement several times before wrenching her hair out and holding her by the throat.
Her colleagues were forced to spray him with pepper spray before he would release her.
She said: “I was there for literally seconds but it felt like a long time until one of my colleagues was able to pull him off me.”
She added: “I think I was in complete shock because at the time he was pushing me and attacking me I was thinking ‘I can’t believe this is happening, what do I do now?’”
Pc Agyei’s attacker pleaded guilty to assault and was handed a 12-week suspended sentence.
The incident was one of 669 assaults on West Midlands officers between April and December 2017, resulting in 356 days lost and costing £65,000 in sick pay.
Now Chief Constable Dave Thompson has launched a campaign to highlight the impact violence against police has on communities.
He said: “I am stepping up to highlight the impact of assaults on our communities. Officers, community support officers and staff are often the first and last line of defence.
“Our officers will always do the right thing and routinely put themselves in harms way to protect the public, but we need to bring to justice criminals who think it’s OK to abuse and hit out.
“Time off recovering from a senseless attack is time taken away from the very communities that need them policing their streets and protecting them.”
As part of his campaign, cases involving an attack on a police officer will include a personal statement from Mr Thompson outlining to the magistrate or judge the effect the attack has had on the force.
Mr Thompson added: “No officer or member of staff should come to work and accept that being assaulted or abused is simply part of the job.”
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said: “West Midlands Police takes assaults against its staff and officers incredibly seriously.
“The force will do all in its power to bring those that commit such crimes to justice.”