Spitting at anyone is Assault and luckily is being treated harsher by the courts because it is a very personal, vile act which potentially can transmit disease.
When a cop is spat on (in the face) or bitten, it affects their and their families lives for a number of months until test results clear them of any communicable disease. They are basically warned not to engage in form of affection with their kids or partners (kissing etc) for that period. So it has a massive effect!
The courts have slowly caught up with how much of a vile act spitting is, cop or not.
