Shock figures have revealed the extent of assaults faced by police officers in Dorset - who face attacks almost every day.

Data is published today showing that officers used force in less than seven per cent of incidents - but were subjected to 75 assaults in just 91 days.

In a bid to increase transparency, Dorset Police has released the figures showing the use of force by officers in support of the Home Office Annual Data Review requirement.

Figures show between April 1 and June 30, 2017 officers attended 23,193 incidents in Dorset.

Of these, approximately 1,572 incidents, less than seven per cent, involved the use of a force tactics by officers, which police said was used mainly to prevent harm.

Deputy Chief Constable James Vaughan said: “Our officers face dangerous situations every day and in the current climate it is imperative that we employ proportionate and appropriate tactics in each situation we face to achieve our number one objective, protecting the public."

The figures included perceived age, gender and ethnicity of concerned individuals.

In the three month period, over 77 per cent of forms were completed after officers had contact with men, 50 per cent after contact with a person aged 18 to 34 and the majority were submitted after contact with 18 to 34-year-old men.

From April 1, it became compulsory for officers to complete ‘use of force forms’ every time force was used in the course of their duties. Force includes both compliant and non-compliant handcuffing, the use of restraint and the deployment and/or fire of a Taser or an irritant spray.

Police forces across the country are now expected to release that data on a quarterly basis as part of a commitment to transparency and openness.

Mr Vaughan said: “Our officers go through rigorous and continued training on tactics which are considered by the Home Office as a use of force. Officers are highly trained to use force proportionately, lawfully and only when necessary.

“This data gives insight into what being a police officer involves, and the challenges they deal with whilst also providing information to help us compare effectiveness of different techniques." 

Mr Vaughan added force tactics protected not only the public, but also police, as the data revealed 75 officers were assaulted in Dorset in the same three month period.

Chairman of the Dorset Police Federation, which represents police officers in England and Wales, Tony Tester said: “There's no doubt that assaults on officers have increased over the last few years and that is a result of the reduction of front line officers. 

"We are currently running the campaign, Protect the Protectors to change sentencing and get an aggravating factor added for assaults on emergency service staff."

He added the campaign also called more officers to carry Tasers as he believed the equipment's presence alone would see assaults fall. 

Mr Vaughan said: “The figures show that use of force tactics often diffuse potentially volatile and dangerous situations. Out of 32 records of officers drawing their Taser, Taser was fired on only six occasions. This clearly demonstrates that the deployment of Taser alleviates potentially serious situations.”