The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have ceased using spit hoods on people under control following an internal review which found the risks outweighed the benefits.
Announcing the move, the AFP said its review examined whether the use of spit hoods was a reasonable and proportionate response against individuals who assaulted police officers by spitting saliva or blood.
“The review found that even though spit hoods were only used on limited occasions by ACT Policing, and not used at all across the broader AFP, they were not sufficient to prevent transmissible diseases,” the AFP said.
“The review found the risk of using spit hoods outweighed the benefits of their use, given they are ineffective in protecting against transmissible diseases,” it said.
“The AFP, which includes ACT Policing, has stopped using spit hoods and is providing equipment and implementing procedures to better protect members from spitting and biting.”
The decision was welcomed by the Australian Human Right Commission (AHRC) which has been campaigning for spit hoods to be banned for many years.
Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay commended the AFP on its approach, saying the decision would help protect the rights of both police and people in police custody.
“The Commission has long held the view that the use of spit hoods poses significant risks of injury and death, and that their use is contrary to human rights,” Commissioner Finlay said.
“Evidence clearly indicates that the key risk a spit hood is designed to prevent – the transmission of communicable diseases – is very low, making their use a disproportionate response,” she said.
“The Commission also recognises the health and safety of police officers needs to be protected and so we’re pleased the AFP has agreed that concerns around officer safety can be addressed by a range of alternative mitigation strategies.”
Commissioner Finlay said South Australia was the first jurisdiction to institute an absolute ban on spit hoods in 2021 followed last year by the Queensland and Northern Territory Police Forces (the latter for young people only).
She said the AHRC believed spit hoods should be banned across Australia, for all people of all ages and in all settings.
“I now look forward to the AFP’s decision acting as the catalyst to encourage other police forces, prisons and places of detention across Australia to follow suit and similarly commit to ending the use of spit hoods,” the Commissioner said.
