PETITIONOpenPetition · petition.parliament.uk
Introduce Legislation to make Verbal Abuse toward Police Officers an offence
We believe that to some it's become acceptable that police officers get verbally abused and are considered too hardened to experience Harassment, Alarm of Distress for Public Order Act offences. They are public servants worthy of protection from abuse. Make it an offence to verbally abuse officers.
Last fetched 03 May 2026 · petition.parliament.uk
Signatures
1,960
signatures
Government response threshold (10,000) · 1,960/10,000
Debate threshold (100,000) · 1,960/100,000
Background
Respect for authority is a central aspect of a functional society, in schools, in courts, in hospitals, and on the streets. We believe this is not a freedom of speech matter, and others in society are protected from abuse. We think well designed legislation can protect police officers, without limiting accountability. In our view, society gets the police service it deserves, and if we want officers who will protect us, we have a duty to protect them.