One officer was head-butted and another spat on early Tuesday after responding to a report of a man kicking a building and smashing bottles.
Victoria police were called about 2 a.m. to a temporary multi-unit housing facility in the 3000-block of Douglas Street, near Finlayson Street, but the suspect had left. He was located in the 2800-block of Douglas and fled on a bicycle, then was located again on Ellice Street and fled again by bike.
An officer with the Integrated Canine Service found the suspect on Jutland Road and arrested him after a foot chase and a struggle on the ground. The suspect resisted and more officers were needed to subdue him.
As officers began to search the man, he head-butted the canine-service officer, causing non-life-threatening injuries. He then spat at another officer and narrowly missed, and yelled that he was infected with COVID-19.
He was taken to police cells and later released with a court date. Charges of obstructing a police officer and assaulting a police officer are being recommended.
“Any time time an officer is assaulted it’s deeply concerning for us, given that our officers work tremendously hard to keep our community safe and at the end of the day want to get home like anyone else,” said Const. Cam McIntyre. “I think in light of recent events where we’ve had two serious attacks on officers and now an off-duty officer being assaulted, as well as an escalating of violence against our members, it is deeply concerning.”
On Monday, an off-duty officer was a attacked by a woman while walking a dog as a volunteer for animal-control services.
Police continue to investigate a violent Sept. 2 attack in Vic West’s Banfield Park that left an officer with potentially life-altering injuries.
Officers have been searching for a 40- to 50-year-old man in connection with the attack, which was carried out about 11:30 p.m. after the officer had spoken to a distraught woman.
The injured officer was treated in hospital and has now been released. He has been on the force for two-and-a-half years.
