Attacks on Bradford police officers have been slashed by more than half in four years and arming police with tasers has helped reduce assaults on officers, according to the police federation.

Figures exclusively revealed to the Telegraph & Argus under the Freedom of Information Act showed the number of assaults on officers in the district has fallen from 128 in 2007 to 50 last year.

Jon Christopher, chairman of the West Yorkshire Police Federation, said he believed the fact that more officers were carrying visible Tasers was acting as a deterrent to would-be attackers.

The federation boss, who represents more than 5,300 rank and file officers, said: “The public can see them – they are bright yellow, carried in holsters and look like big guns.

“If the threat of being Tasered isn’t a deterrent, I don’t know what is.”

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show there were 313 attacks on officers by members of the public across the West Yorkshire area last year, with 174 injured during minor or violent struggles. The statistics, from officer ‘injury on duty’ forms, also show 70 officers were hurt as a suspect resisted arrest, 26 were struck by an object and 11 were bitten.

Fifteen officers suffered fractures or crush injuries, 56 with bruises, 48 with multiple minor injuries and two with dislocations.

Other injuries included two officers suffering concussion, five with damaged ligaments, 25 with lacerations, 35 with swelling and 35 with strains or sprains.

However, West Yorkshire Police was unable to give a breakdown of the nature of injuries sustained by officers specifically in the Bradford area.

Mr Christopher hailed the reduction in incidents in the city as “quite dramatic”, but said he did not know if the fall was connected to a cut in police numbers across the force.

“The reduction in the number of officers will have some implication on the figures, but I wouldn’t be able to say to what degree.”

He also called for tougher sentences for those convicted of assaulting officers in the execution of their duty.

Chief Inspector Damien Miller, of Bradford South Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Over the last few years we have introduced various projects and initiatives to ensure violent crime continues to reduce across Bradford.

“This includes focused policing and a whole host of partnership measures such as offender management and drugs intervention.

“Operation Grid Iron which was introduced to Bradford City Centre for instance has worked to ensure the safety of night-time revellers at weekends. The outcome is Bradford is a safer place not just for members of the public, but for the officers that police the streets.”

Earlier this year the House of Commons heard in the financial year 2010-2011, 7,904 officers on the beat were assaulted in the line of duty compared to 8,175 in 2009-10 and 10,146 in 2008-09.