Authorities say assaults on Kimberly police have surged. 

The state’s police union says incidents of violence against police officers in Western Australia's Kimberley region have increased by more than 50 per cent in the past year. One recent case has drawn condemnation from a local magistrate.

In a recent court appearance, Maureen Ishiguchi pleaded guilty to three counts of assaulting a public officer and displaying disorderly behaviour at Broome Police Station in August. 

During the incident, Ishiguchi spat on three constables and kicked one in the face while being arrested in the back of a police vehicle. 

Broome Magistrate Deen Potter ordered a psychological evaluation for Ishiguchi and granted her bail until her sentencing in December.

Magistrate Potter expressed concern for the affected officers, stating that their lives had been “put on hold” as they awaited mandatory tests after being spat on, which “interferes with the officers' health and comfort”.

The judge also noted that they were vulnerable when dealing with volatile individuals.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Leonie James noted the psychological impact on the officers due to the testing delays.

Meanwhile, recent data from the WA Police Union reveals that the number of assaults against police officers in the Kimberley was the highest for any regional WA Police district in the 2022-23 financial year, marking a 53.3 per cent increase from the previous year. 

These statistics also highlight that the rate of assaults on police officers in the last financial year was the highest in 14 years for Western Australia, with a 61 per cent increase since the 2014-2015 low.

Data from the District Awareness System shows that, in 2023, out of 71 police officers assaulted in the Kimberley, 36.6 per cent were spat on. Last year, 54 police officers in the Kimberley were assaulted, and 72.2 per cent of them were spat on.

The incident in Broome is one of several recent occurrences in the Kimberley, including an alleged attack on police officers in Derby earlier this month, resulting in six people being charged with assaulting a public officer. One officer had to receive medical treatment.

In another case from Broome last month, an 18-year-old woman and a 17-year-old boy were accused of assaulting police officers during a disturbance. 

The three officers involved were hospitalised following the alleged attack. 

The 18-year-old was granted bail in the Broome Magistrate's Court until her next appearance in November, while the 17-year-old's next court hearing is scheduled for December in the Broome Children's Court.

Paul Gale, president of the WA Police Union says such behaviour is entirely unacceptable.

“Whilst police officers are the ones protecting the community, they are the ones suffering a level of violence as well,” he said.

“So spitting, as vile as it is, is one of the many areas that police are having to endure and that level of violence continues to increase.”