TWO police officers were assaulted after a stop and search on a motorist driving erratically in Warrington during the early hours of Saturday morning.
At around 12:45am this morning, a request for an additional patrol came in from Roads and Crime Unit (RCU) colleagues following a vehicle stop involving several males.
After officers observed a vehicle being driven below the expected standard, including travelling the wrong way around a small roundabout, the vehicle was stopped so officers could speak with the occupants.
Initially, the interaction was calm and business as usual for RCU colleagues. Following stop searches, the two passengers were found in possession of cannabis and were dealt with at the roadside.
However, the situation quickly escalated when the driver became violent after officers attempted to arrest him on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a Class C drug (nitrous oxide), which became illegal to possess in 2023.
The male instantly resisted arrest, it took two Roads and Crime officers alongside a special constable to safely restrain the male, with CAPTOR being deployed to gain effective control and allow officers to safely apply handcuffs.
For those unaware, CAPTOR is an incapacitant spray carried by officers to help safely manage violent or dangerous situations. It causes temporary low risk effects designed to quickly reduce a person’s ability to continue violent behaviour, with symptoms typically wearing off within around 20 minutes.
During the incident, both Roads and Crime officers were unfortunately assaulted. Thankfully, no serious injuries were sustained.
The situation was further complicated by the two associates of the arrested male attempting to interfere with officers dealing with the driver. However, additional patrols quickly arrived on scene and helped bring the situation under control.
The male driver was subsequently taken into custody to allow him to be interviewed for the offence.
