Dudley cop recognised for bravery after confronting armed man who locked shoppers in retail store

PC Lee Gilbert safely disarmed the suspect, who was armed with a screwdriver and had locked people inside a retail store.

Now Lee has been named the area winner for Dudley at the West Midlands Police Federation Bravery Awards. Lee, who has been a serving officer for 20 years, said: “It’s really nice to be recognised and to win the award.

“There are lots of officers in the West Midlands, and up and down the country, who are deserving of an award. He said: You don’t do it for recognition but when it comes it’s really nice to get something back.”

PC Lee Gilbert is the Dudley area winner at the West Midlands Police Federation Bravery Awards

The drama unfolded when officers were called to reports that someone with a weapon was holding staff and shoppers hostage in the store.

When Lee arrived, colleagues were already trying to engage with the suspect at the front of the shop and so he went to the back of the building and went in through a staff entrance.

He said “It was busy at the time with customers and staff. Some of the customers were managing to get out through the rear door. I made my way in slowly and saw that he was still wandering around with his screwdriver so I confronted him with Taser and was able to neutralise the threat.

“My colleagues came through the front door and between us we restrained him.”

Lee added: “The training kicks in you have to stay calm and collected. You deal with what’s in front of you. I was able to go in and we safely contained him.”

The West Midlands Police Federation Bravery Awards is sponsored by Slater & Gordon Solicitors and will be held at Tally Ho Conferencing and Banqueting Centre in Edgbaston.

The awards take place on Wednesday, January 31, when Lee will receive his Dudley area award, which is sponsored by Serve and Protect.

Lee was nominated for his ‘standout bravery’ by Chief Inspector Gareth Taylor.

He said: “The officers who were at the scene couldn’t get in and Lee used his initiative to find another way into the store through a staff entrance at the back. He went in unaccompanied, and with the use of Taser he was able to secure the suspect while being threatened with a screwdriver and bravely bring it to a safe conclusion.

“No one was harmed and the evidence was recovered.”

Gareth welcomed the launch of the West Midlands Federation Awards, which are being held for the first time this month.

He said: “It’s really important that our staff are recognised for the hard work we do.

“We already do this through West Midlands Police, but I think it’s fantastic that the Federation, which represents the rank and file officers, has taken this approach and is recognising them for their hard work and their bravery.”

There are a total of seven awards based on the geographical area of the Force - Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton.

One of the seven winners will go forward as West Midlands Police Federation’s nomination at the National Bravery Awards in London in July.

An eighth award, the Sam Hughes Award, will recognise an officer who has been an inspiration to or assisted others in the face of personal adversity.

The award is named after West Midlands Police Federation deputy chair Sam Hughes, who died last year aged 53.