2020 BRAVERY AWARDS


THE BRAVEST OF THE BRAVE


The national Police Bravery Awards are one of the highlights of the policing calendar. But last year, due to Covid restrictions, we were unable to go ahead with our awards ceremony for our 2020 awards. But on 12 October 2021, we were finally


able to honour the 94 nominees from 42 forces across England and Wales at a gala presentation evening in London. A winner was selected for each of the Police Federation’s seven regions before an overall winner of the Police Bravery Award 2020 was named.


REGION 1: Greater Manchester Police Husband and wife Jack and Jo Wilber were in the sanctuary of their own home when they suddenly heard a major scuffle just yards from their own front door. In the very best traditions of the service, the married PCs selflessly came to the rescue of a distressed female who was being attacked by a group of youths. Both soon came under sustained attack


and Jack was stabbed twice during the vicious assault. Against the odds, he managed to bravely defend his pregnant wife and even managed to hold on to one of the assailants. Jack received two puncture wounds to his


body and broken ribs, while Jo was severely bruised. Thankfully, both were released from hospital and, due to the remarkable actions of the officers, all the suspects were arrested. Both officers were later awarded the


John Egerton Trophy, GMP’s highest bravery award. “Winning a national bravery award just


feels surreal. It’s not the reason why we do the job, or get involved with what we did, and we really appreciate it. It means a lot and we want to make our family proud.”


REGION 2: Durham It takes supreme professionalism to confront an armed individual who has previously threatened to deliberately provoke a fatal exchange. That’s what authorised firearms officers PS Simon Hogg, now retired PC Paul Cowling and Paul Jackson had to deal with when a male called emergency services and threatened to open fire on police. After the individual aimed a long-


barrelled rifle towards two officers, the man 22 I POLICE I OCTOBER 2021 As they identified themselves, the man


swore at them again and said he had a knife. Seconds later they heard the woman cry out and, with back-up 10 minutes away, had to take action to prevent the woman from potentially being killed. After forcing entry, the officers were


The Region 2 award-winners with Yvette


Cooper, the Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee (left to right) Durham’s PS Simon Hogg, PC Paul Jackson and PC Paul Cowling.


was calmly asked to drop his weapon. But, instead of surrendering, the assailant


failed to obey the instruction and discharged the weapon directly towards one of the armed officers. During the potentially deadly confrontation, the man fired at least three shots and placed the firearms officers at fear of their lives. Undeterred by the shots, one of them


coolly managed to engage the individual in conversation and was able to talk him into placing his weapons on the ground. Afterwards, all three officers described


the confrontation as the single most dangerous incident they had been involved in during their careers, and the man was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. “We cannot believe we have won a


national bravery award after seeing all the other incredible stories before us. We came out unscathed whereas some of the other nominees tonight didn’t. “We feel incredibly privileged and


grateful to get the recognition and, while it is nice, there are other cops going above and beyond every single day.”


REGION 3: Staffordshire PC Kristian Avons and PS Amos Durose bravely stopped a knifeman killing his partner during a domestic abuse incident. The officers, who were saved from severe


injury due to their stab vests, were attending a 999 call and heard a couple shouting from inside a home. After a man – who was high on monkey


dust - swore loudly at the officers below, the officers heard a terrified woman screaming from inside and decided to force entry.


confronted by a large man who was holding a carpet knife to the woman’s throat and using her as a human shield. Without a thought for their safety, PC


Avons struck the defendant with his baton while PS Durose managed to push the female out of the way. As PS Durose was trying to disarm the


assailant, he felt numerous blows to the back of his stab vest and neck. Although PS Durose and PC Avons were


covered in blood and initially thought they had been stabbed, their stab vests saved them.


The Region 3 award-winners PC Kristian


Avons (left) and PS Amos Durose with their certificates presented by Kerry McMahon- White, Head of Partnerships at Police Mutual


“We feel shocked and overwhelmed to


win a national bravery award and we weren’t expecting it at all. It is important to remember this is something we do day in and day out. Officers are performing acts of bravery every single day.”


REGION 4: Derbyshire A police officer who put his life on the line to save the dam at Whaley Bridge knew in advance that the consequences of his selfless action could have grave consequences. PC Geoff Marshall volunteered to carry out sandbagging at Toddbrook Reservoir in a staggering feat of individual bravery which undoubtably saved countless lives. At the height of the crisis, emergency


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