THREE police officers who arrested a Coventry man who threatened them with a kitchen knife while using his six-week old baby as a shield, have been praised for their actions.
Constables Nathan Gibbs and Thomas Reid were first on the scene of a domestic assault in Bridgecote, Willenhall in December 2014, where a drunk 23-year-old man had attacked his partner.
The pair tried to reason with the man, but he continued to hurl abuse at the officers and threatened them with the knife while holding his small child in his arm.
The man was completely out of control – attempting to stab at PC Gibb’s face and upper body – despite his mother’s pleas to give himself up.
PC Gibbs tried to Taser the man, but it did not deploy correctly and made little impact on the aggressive man.
At this point PC Rehan Jahan, who had responded to the officers’ call for back-up, suggested he tried to reason with the man as he knew him well from working as a neighbourhood officer in the area.
Sergeant Antony Ashton, who recommended the officers for recognition, said: “PC Jahan took over and calmly and professionally encouraged the man to give up the knife and hand his child over to his mother.
“In doing so, PC Jahan was able to defuse the situation and arrest the man without any further violence.”
The baby was checked over by ambulance staff and was none the worse for his ordeal.
The man was arrested and charged with assault and criminal damage.
PCs Gibbs, Reid and Jahan were awarded Chief Constable’s Commendation at a special ceremony to recognise bravery and excellence.
Visit www.west-midlands.police.uk/domesticabuse for more information about support available for survivors of domestic abuse.
