Police Bravery Awards 2024: Hampshire officers win regional award after arresting man with explosive device

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A team of Hampshire police officers have received a bravery award after their heroic efforts in arresting a man with an explosive device.
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary

Five Hampshire officers were given a regional award at the National Police Bravery Awards at a ceremony in London last night (July 11). The heroic actions of PC Emma Davies, PC Tim Clarkson, Sgt David Gibbs, PC Nathan Fulton and PC Scott Thompson have been recognised after they responded to a call out in Gosport on August 28, 2023.

All five of the put their lives at risk to protect the public and apprehend a wanted man who had a handgun and two explosive devices. PC Davies and Clarkson were the first to attend the scene, they were denied access to the address in Carr Court, Davenport Close, Gosport by the wanted man, 54-year-old Damian Mazurkiewicz. Having called for assistance, the three further officers arrived and used a battering ram to enter the premises. The suspect had a gun to his head and two bags wrapped around his bodies with wires coming out of them, in his other hand he had a battery pack and detonator which he then used.

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Upon detonation sparks flew out from one of the bags and toxic fumes filled the hallway but all five officers played their part in apprehending him, including PC Davies who ran towards the danger after reports of gunfire which ended up being the noise from the explosive device. PC Clarkson and PC Thompson tasered the man and Sgt Gibbs helped pull the man out of the building.

PC Fulton and the other officers struggled to disarm the man but they were able to do so just as he was reaching for the second bag, with two sets of cuffs required to subdue him. The bags were taken off him and thrown into the alleyway by PC Thompson and PC Clarkson before PC Davies used a fire extinguisher to cool the devices down. Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) attended the scene and confirmed that the device was 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: “The officers involved in this incident were attending the address to make a routine arrest. They could never have envisaged what was going to happen, but they adapted very quickly to the evolving situation in front of them. They had to make some quick decisions, putting themselves at risk to prevent harm to others.

“Their actions individually and as a team meant the outcome was far less serious than it could possibly have been. This happened on August bank holiday in a built-up area. The potential harm that could have been caused to members of the public does not bear thinking about. They have shown outstanding bravery and courage in a life-threatening situation.

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“There is so much unfair criticism of police officers in the media. Incidents like this show the public we have some amazing, very brave, and courageous officers. I am extremely proud of these five officers.”

Chief Constable Scott Chilton, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, said: “Many of us pursue a career in policing because we want to protect the public and ensure people feel safe. This includes the communities we serve and the colleagues we work with and goes to the core of why we do what we do.

“The exceptional and selfless bravery shown by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Sergeant David Gibbs, PC Tim Clarkson, PC Scott Thomson, PC Nathan Fulton and PC Emma Davies in August of 2023 demonstrates the lengths our officers go to in order to make our communities safer, putting themselves in harm’s way – without hesitation – to ensure the safety of the public.

“These courageous officers were initially confronted by a highly dangerous and unpredictable individual with a firearm in Gosport. This situation was then heightened by the discovery and attempted detonation of a potentially lethal explosive device, which meant that the officers were working in a smoke-filled environment containing further harmful and unknown dangers.

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“Despite this undoubted risk to their own lives, the officers acted with immense bravery and professionalism at all times. In addition, PC Davies also demonstrated a high level of bravery by immediately responding to a gunshot by moving towards a dangerous situation and putting her own life at risk to assist her four colleagues.

“Despite being confronted with an armed and motivated suspect whose intention was to cause serious harm to himself and anyone around him, these officers did not hesitate in doing their very best to protect not only the public, but their colleagues and the individual in question. “All five officers fully deserve to be commended for this selfless and brave response, as well as for their daily dedication and commitment to protecting the community and I am proud to say that I work alongside them.”

The 2024 National Police Bravery Award was presented to PC Alannah Mulhall and PC Joseph Gerrard of the Metropolitan Police Service. The two officers were awarded for their bravery in arresting a man with a knife in Leicester Square with PC Mulhall receiving a stab wound in the arm. PC Gerrard was stabbed five times causing injuries to his neck, arm and puncturing his lung.

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