Officers injured just hours after remembering fallen

Five Broome police officers were assaulted in two separate incidents last Friday, just hours after a ceremony to remember colleagues fallen and injured on the job.

Four male officers and a female officer were assaulted during the two incidents – two officers required hospital treatment for the injuries they sustained.

Broome police officer-incharge Senior Sergeant Jason Van Der Ende said it was a typical evening of policing in Broome, but just happened to involve more violence than usual.

“It’s pretty disappointing when, after remembering officers who have died or suffered permanent injuries while on duty, we have five police officers assaulted, resulting in two needing treatment in hospital,” Sen. Sgt Van Der Ende said.

“Broome is a beautiful place but it’s quite risky for police here, and sometimes people don’t realise the violence officers have to deal with on a regular basis.”

The first incident occurred two hours after the police remembrance day service, around 7.30pm, when officers arrested a woman for drinking in a public place, who had been sitting among a group of people in a Chinatown carpark.

Sen. Sgt Van Der Ende said the woman became violent, ripping off her shirt and allegedly throwing it, handfuls of sand and then one of her shoes at an officer. Another man from the group tried to stop officers arresting the woman and also allegedly became violent, punching an officer in the face and attempting to run away.

The officer gave chase and a struggle ensued, the man allegedly punching the officer in the face again and then in the groin. A man was charged with assault of a public officer causing bodily harm, and a woman with a number of traffic infringements, including driving with a blood-alcohol reading in excess of 0.08, and assaulting two police officers.

Later the same night, a woman was charged with assaulting two police officers as well as speeding, obstructing police, refusing a preliminary breath test, and blood-alcohol reading in excess of 0.08.

Sen. Sgt Van Der Ende said officers had stopped the driver, who allegedly kneed one of the officers in the groin, and slammed the other officer’s fingers in the door of the car, resulting in injuries needing hospital treatment.

The woman will appear in Broome Magistrate’s Court on October 19.