WATCH: Criminals SPIT at police as officers handed guards to prevent vile attacks
This is the moment a woman spits at West Midlands Police officers as she's taken into custody, in shocking footage released as the force rolled out thousands of face guards to stop the vile attacks.
The woman turns her head and spits at the face of a female officer as she is booked into a police cell, before she is taken away by police.
In another clip released today, a man spits at officers as he is held down during his arrest in Stourbridge.
See the footage here:
Today the force said it would introduce controversial guards which prevent the attacks for 4,500 officers from October.
Its staff were spat at 231 times last year and the lightweight mesh hoods will be used to protect officers and prevent the spread of disease.
The medically-certified devices do not block airways and will be removed as soon as possible from suspects, the force said.
The equipment will be issued to officers after they have completed training, and will only be used on suspects who have spat or threatened to spit.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said he expected spit hoods to be used 'on few occasions'.
"We want to protect our officers during their duty to keep us safe against those people they come in contact with who are spitting at them," he added.
"This spitting can cause disease for the officer, things like hepatitis, which could be really serious for the officer. We want to reduce the number of instances of this happening."
The hoods will cost WMP £11,000 to introduce and are already being used by 22 forces in England and Wales.
They have been brought in with the backing of the West Midlands Police Federation but have been criticised by campaign group Liberty, who branded them 'primitive, cruel and degrading'.
In 2014 there were 87 incidents, rising to 132 in 2015, 231 in 2016 and 104 so far this year. WMP say they believe the true number of incidents may be far higher due to underreporting.
PC Michael Bruce and colleague PC Alan O’Shea were attempting to arrest a man 'showered' with spittle and blood.
They had to wait six months to be given the all clear from HIV, hepatitis and tuberculosis.
It meant Pc O'Shea was unable to visit a relative who was undergoing chemotherapy, while Pc Bruce's nine-year-old daughter and one-year-old son also had to be screened for hepatitis after he initially tested positive for the disease.
The test was later established to have been wrong.
The attacker was given a suspended sentence and a fine, but Pc O'Shea said: "I was a police officer who was just doing my job, and yet I ended up with a six month sentence as I waited for the results of the tests."
Chief Constable Dave Thompson said: “The decision to introduce spit and bite guards into West Midlands Police is not one I’ve taken lightly.
“Some considerable work has gone into this and on the basis of everything I have seen, I believe this is absolutely the right decision.
“I acknowledge that some people will feel worried about their introduction.
“I want to reassure them that safeguards are in place and if they are used, this will be recorded. That data will be made available and will be scrutinised by local people. The Police and Crime Commissioner will also hold me to account for the actions of my officers. This is right and proper."
