Five Hampshire Officers Nominated For National Bravery Awards

Five Hampshire Police officers who disarmed a man brandishing a handgun and two explosive devices were “immensely brave”, Hampshire Police Federation has said.

Sgt David Gibbs, PC Emma Davies, PC Tim Clarkson, PC Nathan Fulton and PC Scott Thompson have been nominated for National Police Bravery Awards.

On August 28, they attended an address in Gosport to arrest a wanted man, and found him holding a handgun and two cross-body bags filled with wires, and clutching a battery pack and detonator. He detonated one of the bags, which filled the room with suffocating, toxic smoke, before pointing his gun at the officers.

The officers managed to disarm the man, using two sets of handcuffs to restrain him. The smoking device was removed from the man, and it was found to be a viable improvised explosive device (IED) containing a bottle full of broken glass and metal ball bearings, which could act as shrapnel.

Hampshire Police Federation Chair Zoë Wakefield said: “I think about how easily it could have gone very differently and how the outcome could have been a lot worse.

“They’re a really lovely group of officers and they showed immense bravery on the day. I also think that they’ve struggled afterwards, when reality sunk in about what they’ve actually just dealt with.

“It’s really important that they are recognised at the National Police Bravery Awards. I’m looking forward to going to London with them in July and showing them how much they’re appreciated by the Federation and the wider police family.”