Fifty-three per cent of all cases dealt with by North Yorkshire Police in 2019/20 included a victim who was a police employee or officer – compared with a fifth in 2017/18.

In the West Midlands, 43 per cent of hate crimes involved a police victim. The figure was a third or more for the British Transport Police as well as forces in Gwent, Warwickshire and West Yorkshire.

The Metropolitan Police told the Gazette its officers suffered five hate crimes per day.

An increase in the use of body-worn cameras could be one reason more crimes against officers are recorded.

Audrey Ludwig, director of Ipswich and Suffolk Council for Racial Equality, said: “It may be that the great increase in body-worn video provides police victims with the level of evidence required to meet the evidentiary test in a way not available to other victims.”

Chief Superintendent Mat Shaer, the hate crime lead for West Midlands Police, said: “Many hate crime offences against officers are committed after a suspect has been arrested for other matters so they are in our custody when the hate crime is committed.”