| Good afternoon, There have been about 20 assaults on police officers and staff each day in Scotland, up almost a quarter on the five-year average, according to new figures. Police Scotland released the statistics as the chief constable pledged to support officers facing violence. During the first quarter of 2020-21 there were 1,775 recorded assaults on officers and staff, the figures indicate. This is around 20 a day on average, Police Scotland said, up 7.2% year on year and 22.7% on the five-year average. Message from the editor While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you. With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription. Subscribe to scotsman.com and enjoy unlimited access to Scottish news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.scotsman.com/subscriptions now to sign up. Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website. Your feedback is really important, please email me with any comments and suggestions at [email protected] Joy Yates Editorial Director JPIMedia Scotland | 