Survey found that public sector workers in Merton had to endure 26 separate incidents of abuse in a year
By Tim Williams
Public sector workers are suffering abuse on a regular basis according to a London Councils’ survey.
The survey reported there were 26 incidents in Merton between October 1 2009 and September 30 2010 where public workers had to endure abuse from members of the public.
It also found up to three parking attendants a day across London are assaulted, including incidents such as them being run over, shot at or attacked by gangs with baseball bats.
This month Merton Police arrested a man for physically assaulting one of the borough’s civil enforcement officers.
The officer suffered a cut to his nose while issuing a parking ticket to the man who had parked illegally.
The officer who was attacked said: “All we are trying to do is our job. The people who are committing an offence are in the wrong, and they still feel at liberty to be violent towards us.”
Also, in November one of the council’s recycling collectors was the victim of a hit and run incident when he was left lying in the road with his leg broken in two places after a collision with another car.
Leader of Merton Council, Councillor Stephen Alambritis, said: “The work our civil enforcement officers carry out is vital for residents’ quality of life.
“It is appalling that some members of the public feel they can act in this way, with no self-control or respect for others. There is never any excuse to be violent towards public sector workers like this.”
Superintendent David Paterson of the Metropolitan Police said: “Violent and aggressive behaviour towards frontline public sector employees is totally unacceptable.
“Police will always fully investigate such allegations, with offenders likely to be criminally prosecuted.”
