Bravery Awards: Four cops scoop award following organised crime group arrest

16 January 2024

West Midlands Police Federation members who arrested two organised crime group (OCG) members and recovered a loaded firearm have won a bravery award.

Sergeant Myles Duce, Police Constable Akeel Akhtar, Police Constable Aikam Hundal, and Police Constable Russell Sutheran confronted and searched the known OCG members in the Alum Rock area of Birmingham and retrieved a handgun.

Now they are to be recognised at the inaugural West Midlands Police Federation Bravery Awards, which have been launched this year to celebrate the outstanding work of members.

Russell said: “When I joined the police I knew I could be involved in incidents that have a possibility to be dangerous and a possible risk to my life.

“I do not class what took place that night as brave but getting on with our duty. It’s nice, however, to be recognised for the work we do.

“On the night, me and the other officers involved did what we do on a daily basis and got on with it without worrying about our own personal safety.”

The officers were working as part of Operation Guardian, which aims to tackle knife crime and youth violence.

Their patrol was based on data from the Force’s intelligence analysts, who have identified key times and hotspot areas where knife-related incidents and youth violence are likely to take place.

The four officers, who at the time worked in the neighbouring Bordesley Green area, were conducting a targeted Operation Guardian foot patrol.

Sergeant Kiran Patel, who nominated the officers for the award, called the four cops ‘outstanding officers’, who ‘are very professional and very good at their jobs’.

He added: “To stay calm and professional when they were dealing with people who are carrying a loaded firearm is a real credit to them.

“They identified two OCG nominals, which was good to be able to identify them given it wasn’t their local neighbourhood.

“They engaged them and, based on their behaviour and actions, decided to conduct a stop-search.

“The males started to become aggressive, and when they tried to take them to the floor, one threw his bag away which contained a loaded handgun.

“As it was happening, there were passers-by and people were coming out of their properties, so they had the challenge of managing crowds and conflict towards them.

“They put themselves at risk but have taken a viable firearm off the streets and I thought it was a really brilliant piece of police work,” he added.

Myles, Akeel, Aikam, and Russell will be the first recipients of the Birmingham area Bravery Award, which is sponsored by No. 5 Barristers' Chambers.

It will be presented at West Midlands Police Federation Bravery Awards, which are sponsored by Slater & Gordon Solicitors.

The awards take place on Wednesday 31 January at the Tally Ho Conferencing and Banqueting Centre in Edgbaston.