A Victoria Police officer is recovering after being assaulted by a homeless person during routine wake-ups Tuesday morning.
The cop tried to wake up the man at around 7 a.m. in a shop doorway in the 700-block of Fort Street.
“One of our folks that we deal with every single morning, for whatever reason, became very agitated and started to strike the officer,” said Victoria Police Chief Frank Elsner.
The officer sustained multiple facial injuries and cuts and bruises to his arms, according to Elsner.
Thanks to all of you inquiring about our officer that was assaulted this morning. I just left the hospital and it looks like he will be fine
— Frank Elsner (@ChiefElsner) July 14, 2015
A Sheriff’s Office vehicle driving by at the time stopped to help the cop subdue the attacker, he said.
The suspect, who Elsner said the officer had encountered twice before with no issues, was taken into custody and charged with assaulting a police officer.
He’ll make a court appearance tomorrow. It is unclear whether alcohol or drugs were a factor.
Elsner described such encounters as “part of the job.”
Officers routinely wake up those sleeping in parks and doorways each morning so the public and business owners can have access.
“We do these wake-ups each and every morning and, by and large, they’re uneventful,” he said.
The police officer was taken to hospital for treatment of his injuries and will be back on the job soon, Elsner said.
