Police to patrol with paramedics

Police in Nottingham are joining paramedics on patrols in the city to ensure victims of drunken violence are treated more quickly.

The scheme is being piloted by Nottinghamshire Police and East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS).

A police officer works with a paramedic to help people who have been assaulted or who have collapsed in the street.

The joint patrols mean people who have been injured get assessed and treated more efficiently.

Expert advice

The team works together in the city centre between 2200 GMT and 0400 GMT on Friday and Saturday nights.

Victims of drink-related violence can sometimes be treated at the scene which means fewer trips to accident and emergency centres.

Paramedics can also treat victims more efficiently if a police escort is on the scene to deal with offenders and make arrests if necessary.

Insp Paul Winter said: "If somebody's worse the wear for drink or has been assaulted or they've collapsed then we really need to get an expert opinion on them as to whether they need to go to hospital or not straight away.

"When we get violence and disorder on the street we need to deal with it as soon as possible and get people moved, because if you've got people clustering on a street it does attract other people and increases the risk of violence and disorder."

In the first two weekends of the new scheme, paramedics needed to call an ambulance in only five of 32 incidents that they attended.