Bravery Awards Celebrate South Yorkshire Heroes

SOUTH Yorkshire Police Federation is looking forward to celebrating its courageous officers PC Emma Rae and PC Karen Gunnill at the national Police Bravery Awards.

The Awards are being held in London on 12 October, after being postponed twice during the pandemic. Emma and Karen are nominated for their bravery in tackling a violent man with a gun and getting him off the streets of Sheffield.

In January 2020, PC Rae was called to an incident in which a man fired at least one shot from a weapon and pistol-whipped a man.

The suspect fled in a taxi, and unarmed PC Rae managed to follow the cab in her van and radio in a description of it and the suspect.

The suspect then stopped the taxi and got out, and PC Rae decided to pursue him on foot.

The suspect ran around the corner into PC Karen Gunnill, who had been on containment patrol in the area. She could see him reaching for his waistband in an apparent attempt to get out the gun.

PC Gunnill challenged the suspect to stop what he was doing with her Taser drawn, and fired it when he refused to comply. The officers managed to arrest him, and the man was found to be carrying a lock-knife, having discarded the gun, an imitation air weapon, before his arrest.

The suspect received three years in prison for the offence.

South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair Steve Kent said the brave officers were looking forward to attending the Bravery Awards along with colleagues from all over the country.

He said: “I know from speaking to both officers they’re really excited now about it happening, because sadly it’s been postponed on a couple of occasions now.

“They’re both so modest about it though. They sometimes think this is all a bit of a fuss over nothing, but I’ve had to remind them what they did was really good and it’s a great example of what our officers do on the front line.”