Report of Traffic Accident
Officers received a report around 8:00 AM of a traffic accident with injuries on President Rooseveltlaan. A cyclist had collided with a car there. To quickly reach the scene, the officers temporarily parked their patrol car on the bike path near the accident site. After the victim was taken to the hospital, the officers returned to their vehicle.
Confrontation with Cyclist
At that moment, a man on a cargo bike passed by and made a comment about the parked police car. The officers approached him to explain why they were there. The man immediately reacted aggressively and insulted the officers with harsh language. The officers decided to check his identity. However, the man refused to cooperate and cycled away, shouting that he found it ridiculous that the police were on the bike path.
Assault on Officer
The officers followed the man and tried to make him stop. They positioned their patrol car a few meters in front of the cyclist to bring him to a halt. The man then drove into the police car. When the officers got out, he started insulting them again and approached one of them threateningly. The man stood nose to nose with the officer. To create space for his safety, the officer pushed the man backward. The man then struck the policeman in the face.
The officer sustained injuries but is in stable condition. He filed a report of assault. The 39-year-old man was arrested and taken to the police station.
Violence
The police do not tolerate verbal or physical violence against law enforcement officers, police personnel, emergency responders, and government staff and act decisively against it. Anyone who commits aggression or violence against a public servant must be punished swiftly and severely. The perpetrator faces not only criminal but also financial consequences for causing damage. The Public Prosecution Service has agreed that the sentence demand for violence against public servants is always increased. Click here for more information about the safe public task.
