The Metropolitan Police are appealing for information after a traffic officer was left critically injured in a hit-and-run incident in south London.
The incident happened at approximately 0050 hrs on Friday 20 September on the A217 Reigate Avenue with the junction of Rose Hill, Sutton.
The male PC, who was on foot, attempted to stop a black VW Golf which then collided with him.
The injured officer was taken to hospital where he remains in a critical condition.
Met Commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan Howe, said: “An officer injured on duty is always upsetting for all of us in the Met and our best wishes are with him at this time. We will of course ensure that he, his family and his colleagues are being fully supported and a thorough investigation into the incident has already begun.
“Whilst serious injuries on duty are thankfully rare, it is a reminder of the courage of our front-line staff when carrying out their role to keep London safe.”
The Met is urging anyone who witnessed the incident or who has information about it to call the Traffic Garage at Hampton on 0208 941 9011 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
London Assembly Member Jenny Jones has called on the Met to treat the incident as an attempted murder.
Baroness Jones, Deputy Chair of the Assembly’s Police and Crime Committee, said: “Traffic police do one of the most dangerous jobs in the Met Police, being in the front line of dealing with London’s lawless roads.
“My sympathies are with this officer and I hope he recovers from what I believe should be treated as attempted murder. We should view the way people use a car in the same way as they use a knife or any other potentially lethal weapon.”
Jones said the public “must support the police in their efforts to crack down on these illegal and criminal drivers.”
City Hall figures show almost 70 people per week were injured in collisions involving“hit and run drivers in London in 2011.
The number of incidents has increased in recent years, up from from 3090 collisions in 2009 to 3407 collisions in 2010 and up again to 3535 collisions in 2011.
