Today was a lovely sunny Sunday, many might say it was the start of spring. A day for families to stroll in the pleasant warmth after the last few weeks of winter chill.
For those in Whalley Range, Manchester, things were not quite so relaxed.
For police officers covering this area, this was just another day, just another shift, nothing out of the ordinary. Little did they know what they were about to face...
Shortly before 3pm, officers were confronted by a man in his early twenties carrying a 3ft Samurai Sword...!!! But he wasn't just calmly carrying it on his person, he was using this lethal weapon in an unprovoked attack on police. Unarmed, and showing exceptional bravery, officers tackled the knifeman with batons and a Taser. Even as he was taken to the ground, the offender was lashing out at the police with the sword. Two officers were seriously injured as a result...!!!
Yes, this was a rare incident in terms of the type of weapon used, but ask any police officer, and they will tell you that facing those armed with knives and other bladed weapons is just part-and-parcel of the role of a police officer. Rarely do these types of incidents even reach the press unless someone is tragically injured, or the weapons used are such that they warrant special mention.
During my service in the police, I faced those similarly armed - I had knives pulled on me - I had one thrown at me - I even had someone swing an axe at me - So I know how these officers feel. It is good for those not associated with the police to be aware of the bravery that officers show on a daily basis - much of which never gets reported, the general public being blissfully unaware of what is going on around them.
People ought to hear about incidents like this, so a big thank you to The Manchester Evening News for their coverage, and the use of their pictures. To read the full report, and to view video footage of the entire incident, click HERE :- https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/chorlton-police-officer-sword-attack-14455623
To read more of the experiences that I faced as a police officer, I'm afraid you'll have to wait a short while. Book 2 in "The Memoir Series" is called, "Single-Crewed: My Life as a Police Officer" and is currently in the editing stage. It is on schedule to be published in May of this year through Amazon Worldwide, and will be available in paperback and Kindle E-Book formats.
To ensure that you stay up to date with all developments with this book, and future volumes, be sure to sign-up to my "Mailing List" on my website at:- https://ajheasman.wixsite.com/author
For those who can't wait and who have not read Book 1 in the series, "Beyond the Waves: My Royal Navy Adventures" is still currently available through Amazon
In paperback (£7.99) and Kindle E-Book (£1.99) formats, it follows my progress through the ranks of the navy, and charts my many adventures around the globe.
Consistently in the top 10 Amazon rankings for its category, it is a must read.
Read all three books in the series (once available) and follow me through all aspects of my life - my careers, my travels, and my various experiences.
ENJOY...