Two Wiltshire Police officers have received Chief Constable’s Commendations after being punched, bitten at and subjected to a head-stamping attack while intervening in a violent shoplifting incident during their lunch break. PC Bezzant and PC Whettam were attending a training day at Gablecross Police Station on 23 February when they went to a nearby supermarket during a scheduled break. The officers were not operational at the time and were wearing civilian jackets without their usual personal protective equipment when they witnessed a disturbance. Two people had reportedly been challenged by supermarket security over a theft and were attempting to flee the store. Despite being off front-line duty, the officers identified themselves as police and pursued the suspects in an attempt to prevent them escaping.

Officers attacked during struggle

Instead of complying, the pair responded violently and a sustained struggle followed. Wiltshire Police said the officers were subjected to punches, wrestling and attempts to bite them as they attempted to make the arrests. During the confrontation, one of the suspects stamped on the head of one of the officers. PC Whettam said: “The female was stopped by PC Bezzant and I eventually caught up with the male. The male then started to offer violence and took a boxing stance with raised fists after throwing the stolen items on the ground. “Despite my efforts to reduce the violence being offered, he persisted.” PC Whettam said the officers eventually managed to restrain the pair despite being physically assaulted and punched several times. He was able to call 999 while they had the male suspect pinned to the ground, with on-duty colleagues then arriving to assist with the arrests.

Officers required hospital treatment

Both officers suffered injuries during the confrontation and required hospital treatment. Despite the violence they faced and being without their normal protective equipment, the officers continued trying to detain the suspects until assistance arrived. Wiltshire Police said their intervention prevented the offenders from escaping and helped protect members of the public from further harm. Their actions have now been formally recognised with Chief Constable’s Commendations, which are awarded for outstanding courage, commitment and professionalism. Speaking about his policing career, PC Whettam said he originally joined with ambitions of working with the National Police Air Service. He added: “I now do what I can to reduce crime, reduce violence and ensure public safety in my role as a neighbourhood officer.” Wiltshire Police congratulated both officers, saying their actions demonstrated an “unwavering dedication to protecting the public” despite being off duty from front-line responsibilities. SEO title: Wiltshire cops commended after violent shoplifting arrest Meta description: Two Wiltshire Police officers have been commended for bravery after being attacked while intervening in a violent supermarket shoplifting incident. Google News headline: Off-duty Wiltshire officers hospitalised after tackling violent shoplifting suspects