Bravery Awards Celebrate Our Courageous Colleagues

THE Police Bravery Awards are a great way to remind the public and press about the incredible things officers do every day, South Yorkshire Police Federation has said.

The postponed 2020 Police Bravery Awards were held in London on 12 October, where nominees from across the UK attended a Downing Street reception before heading onto the Awards evening.

The nominees from South Yorkshire Police were PC Emma Rae and PC Karen Gunnill, who chased and tackled a dangerous man who had fired a gun inside a bar.

The 2021 Awards will be held on 9 December, where South Yorkshire Police nominees PC Luke Bugdol and PC Emma Addis will be attending. The pair risked their lives to save a woman and children from a burning building.

South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair Steve Kent said: “It’s absolutely brilliant to be able to celebrate these acts of bravery. We took our officers down for the delayed 2020 Awards and they absolutely loved it, and their families were there and were so proud of them.

“It’s a totally positive thing, which is so rare in policing, where you’re listening to all these examples of bravery and you’re totally humbled, you can’t believe some of the things officers are doing. To get them out in the spotlight is really good.

“We’ve got two more candidates coming down as 2021 nominees, who went into a burning house and saved lives, including a four-week-old baby, at risk to themselves. It’s absolutely incredible.

“These awards are a really positive thing, and with all the negativity that we see in the media about policing at the moment, it’s great to remind the public and the press what incredible acts of bravery our officers do throughout the country pretty much every day.”