30TH POLICE BRAVERY AWARDS


REGIONAL WINNER 6


Wiltshire Police


PC Nicola Crabbe with John Partington, PFEW National Secretary PC Nicola Crabbe


Incident 1: Canal Rescue Attempt On 21 May 2024, PC Nicola Crabbe, from the Devizes Neighbourhood Policing Team, responded to a 999 call reporting a person floating face down in the Kennet & Avon Canal. Arriving with a PCSO colleague, she saw the individual approximately 15 feet from the bank. Without hesitation, PC Crabbe removed her kit and jumped into the deep water. She swam to the person and, with her colleague’s help, brought her back to the bank. PC Crabbe then performed CPR for around 10 minutes until officers arrived with a


defibrillator, which restored a faint pulse. The woman was taken to Bristol Royal Infirmary, where she sadly passed away later that day. PC Crabbe’s swift response


“PC Nicola Crabbe was assaulted —grabbed and pulled by her hair—yet maintained control of the suspect, who was chanting and claiming to act ‘in the name of God’.”


gave her a chance of survival and allowed her family to say goodbye.


Incident 2: Knife Attack Intervention


On 29 June 2024, PC Crabbe responded to reports of a male chasing another with a knife in Devizes. The victim was bleeding heavily from his head and back. PC Crabbe and her PCSO colleague were first on scene and found the two men fighting.


Without concern for her own safety, PC Crabbe intervened and identified one male as armed. During the struggle, she was assaulted— grabbed and pulled by her hair—yet maintained control of the suspect, who was chanting


and claiming to act “in the name of God”. With help from her colleague and a member of the public the suspect was detained.


23 | POLICE | AUGUST | 2025


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