Northamptonshire Police officer nominated for national bravery award

10 July 2018

Northamptonshire Police officer nominated for national bravery award

A Northamptonshire Police officer has been nominated for a Police Bravery Award after facing down a threatening man holding gun and claw hammer, unarmed.

PC Johnny Brereton has been nominated to win an award at the 23rd Police Bravery Awards in London on 12 July. The awards are held by the Police Federation of England and Wales to honour and recognise police officers who performed outstanding acts of bravery while on or off duty, and are sponsored by Police Mutual.

The man was known to have mental health problems and officers had been advised he was making threats towards them and himself. PC Brereton and his colleague could see him through a glass window in the door of his flat, sitting on the bed with a claw hammer in one hand and a metal revolver in the other. The officers withdrew to the car park, when the man came outside and pointed the gun at PC Brereton, still holding the claw hammer.

PC Brereton told his colleague to run, before he moved out into the open, drawing the man away. At times the distance between the man and PC Brereton was as little as 12-15 feet and this continued until the firearms team arrived. After being arrested, the man said he wanted to be shot by the police.

Stephen Mann, CEO of Police Mutual, said: “Police Mutual is very proud to be supporting the Police Bravery Awards for the tenth consecutive year.  To all of you who have been nominated, be proud of yourselves and your achievements. When it mattered most, you stepped up. You proved that your commitment to keeping the public safe did not waver, even when tested in the most trying of circumstances. At Police Mutual, my colleagues and I are deeply honoured to be able to show our appreciation for your bravery in keeping us safe.”

Steve Pace, Chair of Northamptonshire Police Federation, said: “The bravery and professionalism shown by PC Brereton went above and beyond the normal call of duty. He showed exceptional bravery, putting his own life at risk.”