TWO constables who tackled a pair of violent and aggressive men were among officers honoured at the latest South Yorkshire Police awards.
The awards are designed to recognise officers who go above and beyond the call of duty.
Praising the winners, Assistant Chief Constable Simon Torr, said Sheffield remains ‘the safest city in the UK’.
PCs Doug Houston and Adam Fay were among those honoured.
They were nominated after becoming embroiled in an attack in Handsworth last July.
The pair were called to reporters of two men attacking each other in a garden.
However, when they tried to split the warring pair up, the offenders turned on PC Fay, leaving him with a fractured cheekbone.
The citation for the award said: “PC Fay became the focus of the violence and was punched to the head and knocked to the ground.
“Fearing for the safety of his colleague and his own safety, PC Houston drew his Taser and warned both men who were now advancing aggressively towards him.
“PC Houston fired a Taser shot, which, although hitting its target, only had a momentary effect until the male recovered, clenched his fists and made towards him again.
“Despite the close proximity of two violent and aggressive men, PC Houston calmly and quickly reloaded without giving any ground and continued to protect his colleague.
“The next Taser shot had the desired effect, instantly felling the attacker.
“Due to PC Houston’s courage, accuracy and ability to speed reload, the second male, who had been poised to attack, saw sense, stopped and became compliant.
“Both officers courageously faced violence and injury to take thugs off the streets of Sheffield.”
Another award, named in memory of former detective Trevor Harvey, went to detectives involved in an investigation into 15 armed robberies and nine burglaries, where cars were stolen, committed across Sheffield between March 2011 and June 2012.
The team’s citation said; “The criminalw acted in a violent manner when committing the robberies and put the public at high risk of serious injury. Without the team’s efforts these offenders would sill be at large and a danger to the public.”
Chief Superintendent David Hartley, Sheffield’s district commander, said: “The awards ceremony is just one day celebrating the headlines of a year of policing in Sheffield – bravery, courage, investigation, community policing, partnership working, and the list goes on.
“It’s important to remember, although the awards are a one-off, such action is not, it happens each and every day.”
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