2023 BRAVERY NOMINATIONS
PC Brimacombe’s arm was bleeding so heavily, he tried applying his tourniquet, but there was so much blood, so he couldn’t keep hold of it and it dropped on the floor. PC Willett took his tourniquet and applied it for him, but he couldn’t tighten it as his fingers had been so badly cut. They then activated the emergency buttons on their radios to request immediate help. Fortunately, a double-crewed armed response vehicle, some 50 miles away, had been monitoring the radio transmissions and arrived shortly afterwards to render first aid and further assistance to the two severely injured officers.
DORSET Two police officers apprehended a man carrying bladed weapons, despite being repeatedly sprayed in the face with homemade pepper spray. Sergeants Luke Sands and Jen Hussey were deployed, following reports of a male trying to start fires. PS Hussey engaged with the man who, without warning, pulled out a bottle and sprayed her several times in the face. This caused PS Hussey to recoil with shock, discomfort and fear. PS Sands feared the worst. Knowing how damaging such attacks could be, he immediately drew his Taser to stop the male and protect PS Hussey. The male failed to comply with the directions of PS Sands, who then discharged his Taser. However, it was ineffective, and the male was able to break the barb and escape. Both officers chased and caught up
to him. Still suffering the effects of the homemade pepper spray, PS Hussey challenged the male again. He sprayed her in the face for a second time. PS Sands discharged his Taser again so they could arrest the suspect, but he remained unaffected. Despite being sprayed several times in the face with the noxious substance, PS Hussey continued to pursue the male on foot before shooting the male in the back of the legs with her Taser. Thankfully, this had an immediate effect, and they were able to arrest him.
Upon searching the male, the perpetrator was found wearing
protective body armour and padding. He was also in possession of several bladed articles, as well as the bottles of homemade pepper spray.
GMP PC Paul Spinks diffused a dangerous situation and subdued a wanted male who was wielding a machete. While driving when off duty, PC Spinks saw a male walking along the street waving a lethal weapon at members of the public. The officer knew there was a school nearby where the male was headed, and the area would be busy with pupils and parents at school drop-off time.
34 | POLICE | JUNE 2023 After informing the police control room, PC Spinks felt compelled
to act as the male was threatening members of the public. Without regard for his safety, with no personal protective equipment, and not knowing how long he would have to wait for backup, PC Spinks approached the male to diffuse the situation. He identified himself as a police officer and tried to calm down the male, but it became apparent he needed to detain him to prevent harm to nearby people. Putting himself in harm’s way, he confronted the male and,
after a struggle, managed to disarm him without getting injured and continued to restrain him until backup arrived.
HAMPSHIRE
A trio of officers expertly handled a complex situation involving a quick- spreading fire and a knife-wielding man. Attending a call on 24 June last year, PCs Robert Davies, James Pawley and James Langmead had to force entry to a two-storey house from which screaming could be heard. They discovered the staircase blocked, an upstairs bedroom had been set alight and, in the adjoining bedroom, a man was holding a knife to a woman’s throat with her young children on the bed in front of her. The immediate threat to the lives of the woman and her children was compounded by thick black smoke coming from the items in the next bedroom being set alight. PC Pawley was assisted by PC Langmead as they dealt with the fire. PC Pawley took charge of the situation and issued instructions to clear the stairs, break open windows and prepare for burning items. In the room next door, PC Davies
remained calm and engaged with the armed male while the entire floor of the property filled with black smoke. The male was not following instructions and continued to hold the knife to the woman’s throat.
PCs Davies, Langmead and Pawley rushed to the male to disarm him and save the woman and children. In the melee that followed, PC Pawley was stabbed in the hand. Despite his injury, PC Pawley continued to command the scene, giving clear instructions to his colleagues. The individual was restrained, arrested and removed from the danger of the confined house.
HERTFORDSHIRE
A pair of officers faced extreme threat and violence from an individual armed with a large kitchen knife. The individual was subsequently charged with attempted murder. On Sunday 16 October, PC Mercedes Newman and PC Tristian Morrison attended a call from a member of the public who reported
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