PC James Seymour and PC James Conn – Uniformed Hero nomination

PC James Seymour and PC James Conn – Uniformed Hero nomination

PCs James Seymour and James Conn were the first police at the scene of a violent incident involving machetes, a chainsaw and a hostile crowd of up to 70 people.

As a direct result of their courage and decisive actions a dangerous offender was detained, a stabbing victim received urgent assistance, a chainsaw was recovered as evidence, and three individuals were ultimately arrested for a number of serious offences.

PCs Seymour and Conn have been nominated in the Uniformed Hero category of the Your Heroes Awards by senior officers at Staffordshire Police in recognition of their actions at the incident in Chell Heath on May 20.

A Staffordshire Police spokesperson said: “I am honoured to nominate PC James Seymour and PC James Conn in recognition of their outstanding courage, selflessness and professionalism during a highly dangerous firearms deployment.

“The officers were deployed as the Northern Armed Response Vehicle following reports that informants were being pursued by individuals armed with machetes. From the outset, the information available was fragmented and rapidly evolving. The initial emergency call was chaotic, with sounds of significant disorder in the background and very little reliable information available to accurately assess the threat.

“Recognising the potential severity of the incident, the Force Incident Manager declared a firearms deployment and tasked PC Seymour and PC Conn as the nearest armed unit. At the time of deployment, they were operating ahead of the remainder of the firearms team, who were a considerable distance away.

“As they travelled to the scene, the threat level continued to escalate. Additional information indicated that a male was now brandishing a chainsaw as a weapon, presenting an obvious and immediate lethal threat to anyone in the vicinity.

“Further updates then reported a stabbing at a neighbouring street and a large-scale violent disturbance described as “all hell breaking loose”. Reports also emerged suggesting that a suspect may have been in possession of a firearm. By the time the officers arrived, they were confronted with an exceptionally volatile and dangerous situation.

“On arrival, PC Seymour and PC Conn found themselves as the only police officers present facing a hostile crowd estimated at around 70 people. The crowd was aggressive, volatile and emotionally charged. Multiple suspects were believed to be outstanding with access to machetes, a chainsaw and potentially a firearm. The location of the stabbing victim remained unknown and there was no certainty as to whether further victims or armed offenders remained within the area.

“Despite these extraordinary risks and with no immediate support available, both officers placed the safety of the public and the preservation of life above their own personal safety.

“Witnesses directed officers towards a specific address believed to be connected to the incident. Despite repeated attempts, there was no response from inside the premises and the welfare of any occupants was unknown. Faced with credible reports of serious violence, a stabbing and armed suspects, PC Seymour made the courageous decision to undertake a single-officer emergency search of the address in order to establish whether there were injured persons requiring immediate assistance. This was an exceptionally brave action.

“PC Seymour entered the property alone, knowing that individuals linked to reports of machetes, a chainsaw and a possible firearm could still be inside. He had no way of knowing whether he was about to encounter victims in need of urgent assistance or violent offenders willing to use lethal force. Nevertheless, his overriding concern was for the preservation of life.

“At the same time, PC Conn remained outside the address to protect the scene and prevent the large hostile crowd from entering. Although armed, he faced the daunting prospect of maintaining control against approximately 70 aggressive individuals, any of whom could have attempted to overwhelm or disarm him. Remaining isolated and exposed, with knowledge that armed suspects remained unaccounted for, required immense personal courage and resolve. His actions prevented the situation from deteriorating further and allowed the emergency search to continue.

“Inside the property, PC Seymour encountered an aggressive male who repeatedly refused to comply with the instructions of an armed police officer. Demonstrating exceptional judgement under pressure, PC Seymour quickly assessed that the male was not in possession of a weapon and transitioned from armed containment to unarmed tactics in order to gain control. In doing so, he exposed himself to significant personal risk, including the possibility of being overpowered and disarmed while operating alone in an unsecured environment.

“The male was subsequently identified as the individual who had been in possession of the chainsaw and who had stabbed another male present at the address.

“Continuing his search, PC Seymour located the stabbing victim in the rear garden. Immediate first aid was provided, ensuring that potentially life-saving treatment commenced as quickly as possible. The chainsaw was also recovered from the scene as evidence.

“Only after these critical actions had been completed were additional Armed Response Vehicles, Dog Section officers and local policing colleagues able to arrive and assist in securing the scene.

“The bravery displayed by both officers throughout this incident was exceptional. They knowingly entered and controlled an environment where intelligence suggested the presence of machetes, a chainsaw and a firearm. They faced overwhelming numerical disadvantage, with just two officers confronting a hostile crowd of around 70 individuals. They acted decisively despite the very real risk of serious injury or death, placing the protection of the public, the preservation of life and the apprehension of violent offenders above their own safety.

“As a direct result of their courage and decisive actions, a dangerous offender was detained, a stabbing victim received urgent assistance, a chainsaw was recovered as evidence and three individuals were ultimately arrested for a number of serious offences.

“PC James Seymour and PC Jamie Conn demonstrated extraordinary bravery, composure and professionalism in circumstances that would test even the most experienced officers. Their actions exemplify the very highest standards of policing and make them exceptionally worthy recipients.”