Off-duty Gloucestershire Police Officers praised for tackling knifeman

7 October 2021

Two off-duty Gloucestershire Police officers who risked their lives to tackle a knifeman have been praised by Gloucestershire Police Federation.

The suspect stabbed two men and a woman in an incident near Tewkesbury: one of the men died as a result of the attack. The two officers bravely tackled the knifeman and restrained him.

Gloucestershire Police Federation Chair Steve James said: “While the incident is being investigated it is inappropriate to discuss it in detail at this time, but our thoughts are with the family and the friends of the man who sadly lost his life in the incident, and others who were injured.

“However it is important to pay tribute to the officers who intervened in the attack, and whose actions clearly saved others from serious harm. Those officers were off duty at the time, with none of their usual PPE, but still chose to put their own lives on the line in order to try and save the lives of others.

“Their courage was astounding and will hopefully be fully recognised in due course, once the investigation is complete.”

Steve added that the Federation and force were ensuring that the officers and others who were at the scene and affected by the incident were “receiving all the support that they need”.

He said: “This is what policing is about and this is what officers do. They run towards danger, and they confront it. In doing so they often save lives.”