2023 BRAVERY NOMINATIONS
identified the vehicle they were searching for, coming from the direction of the crime scene. They followed the vehicle for a distance before it made off at speed and a high-speed pursuit took place. The vehicle turned in to a dead end on a housing estate where it crashed. Four males exited the vehicle and ran. PC Elwood, with his police dog, PD Cruz, jumped out of the van and ran in pursuit, at which point one male turned and pointed a handgun at PC Elwood.
PC Elwood recalled PD Cruz, before making a split-second decision to continue the chase despite the very clear threat made to him. The four individuals split up, though PC Elwood continued his pursuit of one of them, who climbed onto the roof of a car to try and evade PD Cruz. The suspect was then detained and arrested.
MET 2
An officer seized a split-second opportunity to apprehend an armed suspect, when he found himself looking down the barrel of a gun. On 4 February 2022, during a routine patrol of the outer circle of Regent’s Park, PC Andrew Cushing’s attention, and that of his partner PC Mark Palin, was drawn to a vehicle driving erratically in the opposite direction. They turned their motorcycles and attempted to stop the vehicle, which then took off at speed. After a short pursuit, the vehicle was lost, and the two officers split up to search the side streets.
PC Cushing discovered the vehicle and gave chase once more, but soon terminated his pursuit when the car was driven
38 | POLICE | JUNE 2023
on the wrong side of the road and became a significant threat to the public.
The crashed vehicle was discovered minutes later. As the suspect exited the vehicle, he attempted to make off on foot. PC Cushing tried to stop the suspect. With no effect from the
Taser, a struggle ensued, during which the suspect pulled a gun and pointed it straight in PC Cushing’s face. Still without his partner, PC Cushing was faced with an armed suspect and no cartridges in his Taser. He was alone and had to think quickly, so when the suspect slightly lowered his weapon, PC Cushing took the chance to strike him and disarm him.
PC Cushing eventually overpowered him and got the suspect
to the floor, at which point PC Palin arrived on the scene and helped with the arrest.
It was only once officers from the Specialist Firearms Command arrived on the scene that it was established the suspect had been armed with an imitation firearm.
MET 3
An off-duty officer, who did not have the protection of a stab vest, single-handedly apprehended a person suspected of robbing his son at knifepoint. He did this while professionally reassuring concerned onlookers. PC Gareth Griffin of the Royalty
and Specialist Protection Unit was off duty when he received a distressing call from his son, who told him that he and his friend had just been robbed at knifepoint. Arriving at the location, PC Griffin, after a brief search of the area, was able to identify the suspect who had fled the
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