EIGHT police officers have been commended for their actions in dealing with a disturbed man armed with a ceremonial sword during an incident in Bridgnorth.
Three of the officers who overpowered and disarmed the man were awarded Chief Constable’s Commendations at a ceremony in Shrewsbury this week. They are Police Constables Simon Northcott, Ben Ward and John Hindley.
Five officers who provided back-up support during and after the incident, have been awarded Divisional Commendations. They are Police Constables Heidi Bate, Richard Jones, Guy Thompson and Special Constables Amanda Seedhouse and James Small.
They attended the incident at a house in Bridgnorth during November 2007 where a man was sharpening knives and swords and threatening violence.
PC Northcott, who was Acting Sergeant at the time, organised the police response, carrying out a risk assessment and ensuring everyone was properly kitted and briefed.
Safety It was decided that PCs Northcott, Ward and Hindley would go to the front door to assess the situation while the others – who included student officers and some not trained in police support work – would remain nearby to provide assistance if required.
The man suffered from mental health issues and there was concern for the safety of other family members in the premises. As the three officers approached the door to the front room, the man was less than a metre away. On seeing the officers, he raised a large sword in a threatening manner forcing them to take immediate action.
Constables Northcott and Hindley rugby-tackled him to the floor, giving PC Ward time to take control of the sword. They were quickly joined by Constables Thompson, Bate and Jones and the man was restrained. Special Constables Seedhouse and Small entered the home and provided immediate reassurance to several other family members. A search of the house revealed two further swords and a hatchet.
The man was later cautioned for affray and voluntarily sought medical help after realising his actions were totally inappropriate.
Sergeant Bob Matthews said a well-executed arrest had been carried out thanks to the quick-thinking and decisiveness of the officers involved. “They acted in a very professional manner, knowing full well the implications of the incident and what could happen if it was not handled effectively.
“It would have been easy for them to have backed away at the scene and called for further assistance, but instead, they acted bravely with due regard for the safety of others in the house and themselves.”