A POLICE boss has joined local officers in criticising pressure group Liberty after it described spit hoods as ‘degrading’ in a blog.

South Worcestershire police commander Damian Pettit and his predecessor Chief Superintendent Kevin Purcell said spit hoods were not used routinely.

Superintendent Pettit released a video showing himself wearing a spit hood to illustrate its use was justified.

He added: “Is [a hood] flattering? No. Is it necessary? Maybe.

“If I’m spitting or threatening to spit, whether or not it’s Hep C, Hep B or HIV, it matters not, it’s still an assault.

“It stops it coming out of the mesh and stops it hitting you. It’s a proportionate and sometimes necessary measure to protect ourselves and others.

“Any signs of distress and we will look to take it off and look for other ways of controlling any risk to ourselves or others.”

Worcester Police Constable Dave Wise also questioned the alternatives to spit hoods in response to a tweet by Liberty.

Liberty’s tweet said: “At least 30 (of 43) police forces in England and Wales now use spit hoods.

“They are dangerous, degrading and unjustified.”

The tweet linked to a blog on Liberty’s website, which cast doubt over the justifications for spit hoods.

The pressure group told the Worcester News that the blog reflected its view as an organisation.

It stated that neither HIV nor Hepatitis C can be transmitted through spit, while vaccinations are available for Hepatitis B and Tuberculosis.

The blog added: “Ultimately, these medieval devices have no place in the future of policing and must be relegated to the past.”

However, West Mercia Police’s Chief Supt Purcell disagreed, tweeting: “A very difficult read due to its clear bias. Spit hoods are used when people are detained for an offence and are spitting at an officer.

“They are not randomly placed on members of the public, nor routinely on anyone who is arrested. As the name implies, [they are for] those that are spitting.”

PC Dave Wise added: “Go on Liberty, interested to hear a suggested proportionate measure that isn’t ‘the safe and risk assessed application of a breathable lightweight see-through face guard.’ I’ll wait.”

West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion added that spit hoods are neither degrading, nor inhumane.

He said officers do not go to work to be attacked or abused.