Express & Star

Trainee Midlands police officer to rescue of superintendent in bus fracas

A rookie cop has stepped in to help one of West Midlands Police's leading officers after he was racially abused and pinned to the floor as he made an off-duty arrest.

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Stunned bus passengers watched as Osman Mahmood, who was just four days into his training as a police and community support officer, raced to help Superintendent Keith Fraser.

Supt Fraser had been pinned to the floor by the woman he had arrested seconds before for attacking an 18-year-old girl on the top deck of a Birmingham bus yesterday afternoon.

The senior officer sustained back and neck injuries in the incident but today heaped praise on the new recruit for his bravery and instincts.

Supt Fraser had left the force's Edgbaston training college, in Pershore Road, and caught the 45 bus to return to the city centre at around 3pm yesterday.

Taking his top deck seat he became aware of two men and two women being rowdy.

Before ordering the group off the bus, the officer with 28 years experience, checked with the driver that he was happy to pull over.

He told how as he made his way back upstairs a backseat passenger was screaming having been verbally abused by the group.

It later emerged that the teenager had allegedly been assaulted by member of the group.

The four were taken downstairs as Supt Fraser said he was subjected to a barrage of sickening racist abuse.

As he attempted to make his arrest Supt Fraser was assaulted, with one woman pinning him down while the rest of the group closed in on the grappling pair.

At this point, PCSO Mahmood hauled the woman off the leading police chief.

The dynamic duo managed to detained the group until other officers arrived after the bus driver and passengers dialed 999.

Supt Fraser said: "When we recently opened recruitment for the next generation of police community support officers we wanted the best of the best who would serve the public and transform the lives of local people.

"By stepping in the way he did, PCSO Osman Mahmood has already proven his credentials with only four days of training under his belt.

"The role of PCSO is non-confrontational but Osman clearly acted instinctively by helping who he thought was a member of the public. He was incredibly courageous and I will be meeting him in the coming days to thank him for his intervention.

"I'd also like to thank the bus driver and those passengers who dialled 999 to summon help."

PCSO Mahmood was at home and unavailable for comment today.

A 25-year-old woman from Selly Park, who was wanted on warrant, was arrested on suspicion of assault, public order offences and possession of cannabis.

A 22-year-old woman from Rednal was arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated assault and assaulting a police officer.

Both have been released on conditional police bail pending further enquiries.

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