All Staffordshire Police to receive spit guards

All Staffordshire Police officers are to be provided with controversial spit guards within the next few weeks.

The Spit guards, hoods which are placed over the heads of suspects to prevent them spitting at officers, will be introduced alongside additional training in their use for all officers.

The addition of spit hoods, which is being seen as a controversial move by many, is being funded by Staffordshire Police and Crime Commissioner.

The move has received criticism from campaign group Liberty, who previously referred to the hoods as cruel and degrading.

Other critics say that the hoods are distressing and humiliating, and could potentially cause the person who’s been detained to become panicked, as well as making it difficult for officers to recognise if the person is struggling to breath properly.

Staffordshire Police has previously made them available in police vehicles and custody blocks, but not to every officer as part of standard issue kit.The move comes as a result of a national debate, which has divided public opinion.After listening to both sides of the debate the PCC decided to grant the funding.PCC Matthew Ellis said:

Staffordshire Police Chief Constable Jane Sawyers said:

As part of the new arrangements, use of the spit guard will join, use of Taser, domestic abuse incidents and Stop and Search in being subject to enhanced oversight’ by the PCC’s office.

This involves mandatory use of body cams during an incident and dip sampling of that footage by each area’s Safer NeighbourhoodPanel on top of normal oversight arrangements.

The full rollout will start in the next few weeks.

Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott recently denounced the use of the guards as being ineffective, leading to an outcry by officers from police forces across the country.In a Tweet the Hackney MP said: "No evidence that spit hoods are necessary or useful."

It comes after a series of high profile examples of front line staff contracting illnesses from people who are infected with a variety of conditions.