ENOUGH is enough - that is the message from top cops and ambulance officers after a Cairns paramedic and police officer were allegedly assaulted in two separate incidents at the weekend.

An Edmonton ambulance officer was allegedly punched in the head while he attempted to treat a female patient in Alabama Close at White Rock about 3pm on Saturday.

The ambulance officer was treated in Cairns Base Hospital for injuries to his face.

Police used capsicum spray on the alleged attacker, who has been charged with seriously assaulting a public officer, obstructing police and public nuisance.

Just hours later, a man allegedly spat in the face of a Cairns dog squad officer.

Police were arresting a 33-year-old man for public nuisance, at Aumuller St, Westcourt, when he allegedly spat at the police officer.

He will appear in Cairns Magistrates’ Court today.

Ambulance Union representative Bob Lackey said the weekend’s incident was the third alleged serious assault on an ambulance officer in Cairns since September.

"The union is sick and tired of ambulance officers being used as punching bags," he said.

The alarming trend has sparked further calls to fast-track proposed self-defence training to officers.

In previous incidents in Cairns, in March two ambulance officers had to lock themselves in their vehicle after a man who had called for their help attacked them.

In September, a paramedic who was assaulted by a patient then had to restrain him in the back of an ambulance outside Cairns Base Hospital for two-and-a-half hours until a bed became free.

Mr Lackey said the officer concerned had taken the incident badly and been offered counselling, but due to his caring nature was already back on the job.

"But enough is enough," he said.

"The other officer at the call managed to get out of harm’s way, otherwise he would have been hurt as well."

The rise in attacks could lead to self-defence classes for officers.

Mr Lackey said just last week the Government and QAS commissioner had released initial plans to train all front line paramedics in Queensland "so they have the ability to defend themselves". Far Northern region crime co-ordinator Insp John Hartwell said it was a "cowardly" act when people resorted to assaulting members of the ambulance service, fire brigade or emergency services when they were responding to a call for assistance from the community.

"Ambulance officers are neither trained nor equipped to deal with violent offenders," he said.

"They should not be subjected to this kind of assault."

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