Frontline police officers are to be authorised to use spit hoods when arresting violent suspects.

The Met, which currently uses the mesh hoods only in custody cells, is expected to roll out the equipment in the coming months, despite criticism from civil rights groups.

Met Commissioner Cressida Dick, who has previously resisted allowing the hoods to be used on the street, said officers needed protection when responding to “dangerous situations”.

In a briefing to staff today, she also said that an extra 330 officers would be trained to use Taser stun guns by March next year, bringing the total number in the Met to nearly 6,800.

She also revealed that all officers up to and including the rank of chief superintendent would receive a one-off £350 bonus in recognition of the “extraordinary pressures” officers have faced in London in the past two years.

The decision to roll out the spit guards comes after a poll of London officers found the vast majority wanted to be able to use the hoods.

Civil liberties groups have called the mesh hoods placed over suspects’ heads “dangerous and degrading”, and Ms Dick has previously said their use could escalate tensions on the street and might make officers more likely to get “a good kicking” while struggling with aggressive suspects.

But today she said: “My role is to ensure that officers have what they need to do their jobs effectively and safely. The announcements I have made to colleagues today are important issues that are intended to support officers and staff in keeping London safe.

“Officers in particular are tasked with responding to often dangerous situations and they need the protection to be able to do so safely, in order to protect the public, victims and suspects.”

Ken Marsh, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, said: “This is great news. We have been fighting for this for some time.

“Spitting is abhorrent and we need to protect officers as best we can, if we can protect just one officer from getting an infection it is worthwhile.”