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| Officers who took on gunman honoured at police bravery awards | Officers who took on gunman honoured at police bravery awards |
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| Three Northumbria officers who arrested man brandishing a gun win prize, with officers who rugby-tackled Jo Cox’s killer also recognised | |
| Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent | |
| Thu 13 Jul 2017 23.47 BST | |
| First published on Thu 13 Jul 2017 15.47 BST | |
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| Three unarmed officers who tackled a man threatening them with a handgun were honoured for their bravery on Thursday. The officers from the Northumbria force – a woman and two men – were the overall winners of this year’s Police Bravery awards, which give an insight into the dangers faced by law enforcement on the streets. | Three unarmed officers who tackled a man threatening them with a handgun were honoured for their bravery on Thursday. The officers from the Northumbria force – a woman and two men – were the overall winners of this year’s Police Bravery awards, which give an insight into the dangers faced by law enforcement on the streets. |
| Among others nominated were officers who ran into burning buildings, rushed into water, and saved suicidal people from killing themselves. Also honoured were the officers who rugby-tackled the extremist rightwing assassin who shot and stabbed Labour MP Jo Cox to death. | Among others nominated were officers who ran into burning buildings, rushed into water, and saved suicidal people from killing themselves. Also honoured were the officers who rugby-tackled the extremist rightwing assassin who shot and stabbed Labour MP Jo Cox to death. |
| This year’s awards came after the murder of an officer, PC Keith Palmer, as he defended parliament during a terrorist attack by Khalid Masood in March. | This year’s awards came after the murder of an officer, PC Keith Palmer, as he defended parliament during a terrorist attack by Khalid Masood in March. |
| The three Northumbria officers, PCs Michael Otterson and Sarah Currie and Sgt Elliott Richardson, tackled a man brandishing a handgun. He thought by attacking police he would get proper treatment for the acute mental health problems he suffered. | The three Northumbria officers, PCs Michael Otterson and Sarah Currie and Sgt Elliott Richardson, tackled a man brandishing a handgun. He thought by attacking police he would get proper treatment for the acute mental health problems he suffered. |
| Concerns had been raised by a community nurse about a man with a history of mental illness who had made threats of violence. Police searched for the man in Gateshead and spotted him entering a pub wearing body armour. The officers followed, and according to the citation: “When officers Currie and Otterson opened the door to the pub, they were confronted by the man, holding a firearm and levelling it at them.” | Concerns had been raised by a community nurse about a man with a history of mental illness who had made threats of violence. Police searched for the man in Gateshead and spotted him entering a pub wearing body armour. The officers followed, and according to the citation: “When officers Currie and Otterson opened the door to the pub, they were confronted by the man, holding a firearm and levelling it at them.” |
| They struggled with the man to wrestle the gun off him, with a third officer and a member of the public joining in. During the struggle, the gun went off, but there were no injuries. | They struggled with the man to wrestle the gun off him, with a third officer and a member of the public joining in. During the struggle, the gun went off, but there were no injuries. |
| The man had a rucksack containing two handguns, a crossbow, a pack of throwing knives, home-made petrol bombs and smoke grenades. When questioned, he said he had armed himself so that he could injure police officers, believing it was the only way he could get proper treatment for his mental health conditions, which include schizophrenia and paranoia. | The man had a rucksack containing two handguns, a crossbow, a pack of throwing knives, home-made petrol bombs and smoke grenades. When questioned, he said he had armed himself so that he could injure police officers, believing it was the only way he could get proper treatment for his mental health conditions, which include schizophrenia and paranoia. |
| The home secretary, Amber Rudd, said: “It’s because of the instinctive actions and remarkable heroism of PCs Currie and Otterson and Sergeant Richardson that a horrifying incident was stopped and an imminent threat to public safety was averted.” | The home secretary, Amber Rudd, said: “It’s because of the instinctive actions and remarkable heroism of PCs Currie and Otterson and Sergeant Richardson that a horrifying incident was stopped and an imminent threat to public safety was averted.” |
| Also nominated were Lincolnshire officers who, while on a night out in Newark, Nottinghamshire, tackled an armed robber brandishing a shotgun. | Also nominated were Lincolnshire officers who, while on a night out in Newark, Nottinghamshire, tackled an armed robber brandishing a shotgun. |
| Steve White, chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: “We have heard truly astounding feats of bravery, including officers who have saved people from the brink of suicide, tackled offenders armed with knives and guns; and had petrol poured over them with the threat of being set alight. | Steve White, chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: “We have heard truly astounding feats of bravery, including officers who have saved people from the brink of suicide, tackled offenders armed with knives and guns; and had petrol poured over them with the threat of being set alight. |
| “This year, perhaps more than most, the public realise the threats we face every day and the heroic efforts of our officers, most of which goes unnoticed and unreported.” | “This year, perhaps more than most, the public realise the threats we face every day and the heroic efforts of our officers, most of which goes unnoticed and unreported.” |
| Also honoured were the two West Yorkshire officers who arrested Thomas Mair shortly after he had assassinated the Labour MP Jo Cox. On seeing the suspect, PCs Craig Nicholls and Jonathan Wright moved towards Mair and he dropped a bag he was carrying and appeared to try to grab something from his waistband. | Also honoured were the two West Yorkshire officers who arrested Thomas Mair shortly after he had assassinated the Labour MP Jo Cox. On seeing the suspect, PCs Craig Nicholls and Jonathan Wright moved towards Mair and he dropped a bag he was carrying and appeared to try to grab something from his waistband. |
| Their citation reads: “Fearing it was a weapon, the pair sprang in to action, running at him and rugby-tackling him to the ground to arrest him. It was not until the suspect was arrested and the discovery of a gun and a knife in his possession that both officers realised the magnitude of their actions.” | Their citation reads: “Fearing it was a weapon, the pair sprang in to action, running at him and rugby-tackling him to the ground to arrest him. It was not until the suspect was arrested and the discovery of a gun and a knife in his possession that both officers realised the magnitude of their actions.” |
| Five Metropolitan officers who tackled a suspected suicide attacker and then placed him in a bear hug fearing that he would trigger an explosion were also honoured. The officers were called to reports of a man armed with a machete near the Arsenal ground. PC Jason Hodgson and PC Alex Field detained the man, who resisted so fiercely that two sets of handcuffs were needed to restrain him. | Five Metropolitan officers who tackled a suspected suicide attacker and then placed him in a bear hug fearing that he would trigger an explosion were also honoured. The officers were called to reports of a man armed with a machete near the Arsenal ground. PC Jason Hodgson and PC Alex Field detained the man, who resisted so fiercely that two sets of handcuffs were needed to restrain him. |
| Then they noticed coloured electrical wires coming from his jacket and feared he might be wearing a suicide vest. Officers placed the suspect in a bear hug, despite the danger to their own lives. Another officer, PC Wayne Pullen, used his military experience to take apart a circuit board and metal plates that were attached to electrical wires concealed in the suspect’s jacket. | Then they noticed coloured electrical wires coming from his jacket and feared he might be wearing a suicide vest. Officers placed the suspect in a bear hug, despite the danger to their own lives. Another officer, PC Wayne Pullen, used his military experience to take apart a circuit board and metal plates that were attached to electrical wires concealed in the suspect’s jacket. |
| The citation reads: “Mindful that they were in a densely populated area very close to the Arsenal Emirates stadium, the officers made the selfless decision to tightly hug the suspect to prevent him triggering the suspected improvised explosive device (IED).” | The citation reads: “Mindful that they were in a densely populated area very close to the Arsenal Emirates stadium, the officers made the selfless decision to tightly hug the suspect to prevent him triggering the suspected improvised explosive device (IED).” |
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