POLICE officers in Hampshire are set to be issued with spit guards to protect themselves from being spat at.

All frontline officers at Hampshire Constabulary will now have access to using the guard following information that the number of incidents of staff having blood spat at them had risen.

Since April 2016, 126 assaults involving spitting had been recorded, with the decision to extend spit guards to all staff has been roundly welcomed by figureheads throughout the force.

John Apter, chairman of Hampshire Police Federation, said the move will "help protect our officers, they deserve nothing less."

Mr Apter added: "Being spat at is a vile and dangerous act which is a growing issue for our officers. Often it is not just saliva but blood that officers need protection from.

"These guards must be available to every officer across the country, they must have the equipment to protect themselves.

"I have been campaigning for some time for spit guards to be issued to all of our frontline officers. I'm pleased the chief constable has made this decision. It will add to the work Hampshire has been doing to support officers and staff who have been the victims of assaults."

Officers at Hampshire Constabulary already use spit guards in custody. Following a consultation period, the decision was made jointly between Hampshire and Thames Valley police forces and will be implemented once full training has been completed and the spit guards have been procured.

David Hardcastle, assistant chief constable operations, for Hampshire and Thames Valley, said: "We have listened to concerns raised by officers and our police federation, as well as recent recommendations from the National Police Chiefs’ Council, and have held discussions with our independent advisory group which comprises of members of the public.

"They were supportive and we have taken the decision that spit guards will be rolled out to all frontline officers across the force."

The spit guards are made from a breathable material that goes over a suspect's head and contains a section that prevents the person from spitting.

When using a spit guard, the officer must explain the reasons for its use and will monitor the suspect at all times. They will be required to maintain the dignity of the suspect throughout the process.

Michael Lane, Hampshire and Isle of Wight police and crime commissioner, said he scrutinised the decision to implement spit guards on officers carefully and that he would "continue to hold the chief constable to account that spit guards remain the most appropriate and effective method for protecting officers and responding to this type of assault."

Mr Lane added: "Assaulting police officers is unacceptable and needs to be understood by the public to be so. A particularly vile method is spitting and this also carries with it potential health risks."