Police Bravery Award nominees receive good luck messages

7 July 2023

Hertfordshire Police Federation chair Luke Mitchell has sent a message of good luck to national Police Bravery Award nominees Mercedes Newman and Tristian Morrison.

The quick-thinking PCs were put forward after tackling, disarming and arresting a violent and dangerous knife-wielding thug after he attacked them.

The officers had been called to Goff’s Oak at around 10am on Sunday 16 October last year following reports that a man who was carrying a large kitchen knife was approaching members of the public stating “there had been a murder” and “there is going to be a murder”.

PC Mercedes Newman

Mercedes, 24 was less than three years into service at the time of the incident and Tristian, 34, was a student officer.

They arrived at the scene to find a man sitting alone in a deckchair in a car park. As they approached him he pulled out a 12-inch kitchen knife which he held to his own neck before trying to stab Mercedes.

The officers deployed PAVA, Taser and their batons and the suspect dropped the knife and ran off before the pair arrested him in a secluded area.