Police officers in Northern Ireland are more than twice as likely to be assaulted than officers in Scotland, it was revealed today.
There were 21,845 assaults on officers in 51 police forces across the UK last year - the equivalent of one every 24 minutes.
The figures, compiled by Police Reviewmagazine, recorded 2,214 assaults on PSNI officers in 2004/05, up 152 on the previous year. But in Scotland the number fell by 158 to 1,092.
Ulster Unionist Policing Board member Fred Cobain said the North was different from other parts of the UK.
"One assault is too many but I am not surprised by the figures [but] hopefully these numbers will be reduced as we move towards a more normal and peaceful society."
The SDLP's Dolores Kelly said the figures were unacceptable. "It is very disappointing that attacks on the police, fire service and ambulance staff continue to increase. There seems to be a culture of drunken behaviour that leads to these sorts of attacks."
Ms Kelly, who will join the Policing Board next month, also called on Sinn Fein to back the policing reforms. "Some parties continue to demonise the police and that culture continues even though we are in peaceful times," she said.