POLICE Minister David Elliott says he has announced a parliamentary inquiry into the "extremely concerning" number of assaults on police officers after a 17-year-old Central Coast boy became the latest person charged with the serious assault of a frontline police officer.
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Mr Elliott had previously said he was considering an inquiry after a spate of violence and abuse towards officers in the Hunter and Central Coast in June.
But with NSW averaging close to 50 assaults on police per week, Mr Elliott used the latest attack on a female senior constable who was allegedly pushed by a 17-year-old boy and cracked her head outside Gosford Hospital on Friday as an opportunity to again denounce the troubling trend and announce the parliamentary inquiry.
"These daily attacks on police officers right across the state are not only disappointing but extremely concerning, as these are the people who are putting their lives on the line to protect yours," Minister Elliott said.
"We are averaging close to 50 police assaults a week and it's not good enough. This is why I've announced a parliamentary inquiry into these horrific incidents to try to better understand why they continue to occur in unacceptable numbers."
The teenager had been arrested on Friday for allegedly smashing up a woman's car at Niagara Park. He was taken to Gosford Hospital and after being discharged he was being taken to the police vehicle when he allegedly pushed a female senior constable to the ground, causing her to strike her head, and assaulted a male constable.
