PSNI: Big rise in injuries after patrol cars rammed

One of the police vehicles that was damaged during a ramming incident this year

Seventy-seven officers have been hurt in incidents where police cars have been deliberately rammed this year, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has said.

That is a 50% increase on 2022.

"Vehicles are being used as weapons against us," said Ass Ch Con Bobby Singleton.

"The threat that is posed by people using vehicles is, in many respects, treated by us as being every bit as serious as those who have firearms."

Incidents are occurring about once a week.

Figures provided by the PSNI show that up to last week, 45 police cars had been deliberately rammed in 2023 - compared to 34 last year.

Officers at risk

The crashes most commonly occur in north and west Belfast, Londonderry and border areas such as south Armagh.

Mr Singleton said the PSNI had "been fortunate" not to have seen an officer killed.

This year is the 10th anniversary of the death of Con Philippa Reynolds. who died when her patrol car was hit by a stolen vehicle in Londonderry in February 2013.

"It is a scary thing for officers to go through," said Mr Singleton.

"It is a testament to the courage that officers display that they will put themselves in situations where they are at risk in order to protect the public."

He said most incidents involved people trying to evade arrest.

Repair costs

"That can be for a range of offences, like driving with no insurance, right up to high-end offending," he said.

While officers have had specialist training in pursuits, "what we cannot eliminate is when offenders will use vehicles as weapons".

Increased repair costs are also adding to the PSNI's budget difficulties.

Members of the Northern Ireland Policing Board recently visited the police vehicle repair facility in Carrickfergus.

DUP MLA Trevor Clarke said: "Those who resort to ramming police vehicles to evade arrest must feel the full weight of law.

"The courts must send out a strong message to deter those from engaging in such acts going forward."

An officer suffered "extensive whiplash injuries" when their vehicle was rammed off the motorway during a pursuit

Former senior PSNI officer Jon Burrows said the "shocking" statistics are reflective of an increasing problem faced by police officers.

"We should always recognise that officers take a huge risk when they patrol on our behalf," he told BBC's Evening Extra programme.

He said a jail deterrent "has to be made very clear" to those involved in deliberate ramming.

"I think there's a cultural issue, probably, in Northern Ireland," he added. "There's been so much violence towards the police in the past, almost we become culturally complacent about the dangers that our officers face today."