Essex Police officers who demonstrated extraordinary courage, including saving a child's life, apprehending a dangerous knifeman, and pulling individuals from a burning vehicle, have been honored with the Essex Police Federation Bravery Awards.
Annual Awards Ceremony Returns
The annual awards event, organized by the staff association, made a comeback last week with a prestigious ceremony following a gala dinner. Officers were recognized for their outstanding service and bravery in the line of duty.
First Award Winners: PCs Gemma Sandy and Holly Matthews
The first pair of winners were PC Gemma Sandy and PC Holly Matthews, who sustained injuries while detaining an armed man. PC Matthews was stabbed in the head during the incident. On December 29, 2023, the officers responded to a disturbance in Harlow and encountered a man standing in the open doorway of his property, holding a knife and muttering about self-harm.
The officers attempted to engage with the man, asking him to put down the knife. Instead, he retreated inside the property. The officers followed him into the kitchen, where the man, significantly taller than the officers, suddenly grabbed a knife and tried to stab them. He attempted to flee through the door, but the officers held onto him. During the struggle, he stabbed PC Matthews in the head. Despite the injury, they continued to restrain him as he dragged both officers out of the front door.
The officers managed to overpower him and bring him to the ground, where a family member seized the knife. The attacker continued to assault them, kicking PC Sandy in the face. Backup officers arrived and assisted in detaining the suspect. Both officers were taken to the hospital; PC Matthews' head wound was treated, and she was off work for three months. The suspect later appeared in court and was found guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a bladed article. He received a prison sentence of five years with an extension period of three years.
Steve Martin, Essex Police Federation chair, said: "If these brave officers had not doggedly held on to this violent man and succeeded in detaining him, he may well have killed himself or another member of the household. They acted swiftly and determinedly, despite being injured themselves. We are very proud of Gemma and Holly and they are very deserving of a Bravery Award."
Vehicle Fire Rescue: DC Sam Petken and Paul Coughlin
Another Bravery Award was presented to DC Sam Petken and his relative, Paul Coughlin, who pulled three people and a dog from a burning car in Chelmsford. On November 24, 2024, DC Petken was off duty and driving with Mr. Coughlin when they came across a serious road traffic collision. Two adults, two boys aged 11 and eight, and a dog were trapped in a car that had crashed and was badly damaged.
With the help of other members of the public, DC Petken and Mr. Coughlin were able to remove the woman, the two boys, and the dog from the vehicle. Unfortunately, the man remained trapped inside the car, which had caught fire. The fire intensified, quickly engulfing the vehicle. DC Petken and Mr. Coughlin tried everything to save all occupants but had to make the difficult decision to pull everyone away due to the developing fire. Sadly, the man who remained trapped could not be saved and died. The woman and her children were taken to the hospital. The woman sustained extensive internal organ injuries requiring surgery, along with further surgery for spinal injuries. The two boys were released from the hospital with minor injuries.
Steve Martin said: "What incredible courage. Without this tremendous act of bravery from Sam and Paul, this incident may have ended very differently with the loss of further lives. Our thoughts remain with the family and their loss."
Heroic Efforts at Double Homicide Scene
PC Fallon Hopper and T/Sgt Harvey Hillson also received Essex Police Federation Bravery Awards for arresting a dangerous knifeman and tending to victims at a harrowing double murder scene. On the evening of May 28, 2024, a woman in her fifties and her two children arrived at their home in Ugley to find her husband there. He had just discovered that she had filed for divorce. The woman and her eldest son had suffered years of domestic abuse at the hands of her husband. An argument ensued, and the husband pulled out a knife and stabbed his wife multiple times. She called out to her children for help, and one of them sustained injuries while trying to save her.
The children were joined by their older sibling, in his twenties, who tried to pull his stepfather off his mother. The suspect turned on him and stabbed him in the stomach before slitting his throat. The suspect then continued to attack his wife, eventually slitting her throat as well. PC Hopper performed CPR on the victims, but tragically both mother and son died. A double homicide investigation ensued. In court, the attacker was found guilty and received a life sentence with a minimum of 34 years in prison.
Steve Martin commented: "This was a brutal and traumatic incident, but Harvey was able to calmly arrest the suspect and prevent him from harming anyone else. Fallon was faced with one of the most harrowing scenes imaginable but went above and beyond to attempt to save lives. Our thoughts remain with the family of the victims."
Anonymous Officers Disarm Knifeman Threatening Child
Finally, a group of Essex Police officers who wished to remain anonymous also won Bravery Awards for disarming a man in a volatile situation where he was holding a knife to a child's throat. On November 22, 2024, Essex Police conducted a welfare check for a woman and two children who had not been seen for several days. When officers arrived at the house, a man appeared, grabbed a large knife, and held it to the neck of his 11-year-old daughter before retreating into the house.
The officers eventually located the suspect and screaming child in the bathroom behind a locked door. They punched their way through the door and found the suspect lying on the floor with a knife to his own throat. His daughter tried to run out, but he grabbed her and held the knife to her throat again. The officers used their Taser on the man, and thankfully the daughter managed to break free. The officers wrestled the knife out of the man's hand and handcuffed him. He had cut his own throat, so they provided first aid. In court, the defendant was charged with multiple offenses and convicted of false imprisonment, threats to kill, and causing actual bodily harm.
Steve Martin said: "In the face of extreme danger, these four officers displayed extraordinary courage, quick thinking, and professionalism to disarm a violent man and possibly save the lives of a woman and two children. It was a very difficult situation for them to deal with, and we are so proud of them for their actions."
The Essex Police Federation Bravery Awards were held in association with the National Police Healthcare Scheme, with additional sponsorship from JMW, Police Friendly, No1 CopperPot, Uniform Mortgages, Niche, THB Legal, Gallagher, Accord, Police Mortgages, and Police Mutual.
