Dorset PC Takes on Knife-Wielding Attacker, Nabs National Bravery Nod
PC Roz Fricker, a probationary officer in Dorset, faced down a violent man armed with a metal mallet and several large knives – and now she’s been put forward for the National Police Bravery Awards.
Knife and Mallet Attack in Dorset Flats
Back in April 2018, just a year into her policing career, PC Fricker was called to a serious disturbance in a block of flats. The suspect emerged swinging a heavy metal mallet and threatening her despite her use of PAVA spray.
“He clearly wasn’t happy to see me at all and things very quickly got quite critical,” she said. “He was swinging around this metal mallet and I later discovered he was also holding a kitchen knife and had quite a few other knives on him.”
When he struck her shoulder, PC Fricker stayed on her feet, tracking the man down with colleagues and making the arrest despite the intense pain.
Heroism that Won’t Fade
Her bravery earned her a nomination for the prestigious National Police Bravery Awards. Although the 2020 ceremony was postponed due to COVID-19, PC Fricker and 93 others from 42 forces across England and Wales will be celebrated at a special event in London in July 2021.
“The incident has stayed with me and will never leave,” she admitted. “It’s one of those things you try and forget but you’ll go to another job or there’ll be another reminder. It’s the job we do and we face it every day.”
Five Months Off and Two Years to Heal
PC Fricker was away from frontline duty for five months while she recovered from her injuries. She took two years to fully recuperate but never considered quitting.
“It wasn’t an option not to tackle him. It’s the job we do and we are faced with it more and more – I couldn’t run away and hide,” she said. “I had to do my best to control him and make sure he didn’t hurt me more seriously or hurt others.”
“Recuperating was challenging. But it’s my life and it’s a job I always wanted to get back to.”
The Police Federation of England and Wales is spotlighting the courage of all this year’s nominees online, celebrating officers who have risked everything to keep the public safe.
