Norman Brennan

Norman Brennan

Norman Brennan was a Police serving Police Officer in London and retired in 2009 after serving 31 years, in which time he was awarded 9 commendations for bravery and outstanding Police work. His roles included frontline Policing, shield unit, advanced Police response driving, CID for 14 years. For 6 years he worked on the robbery squad covering North London.

Early in Norman's career, 1982, whilst arresting three pick pockets, he received serious head injuries and admitted to intensive care. He spent ten days in hospital and underwent and operation to rebuild damage to his nose. Over the next three years he underwent two further reconstructive operations. Over this period he was off sick for a year recovering post op. Having fully recovered he returned to frontline duties. however, only a week later, his last day in uniform, he assisted colleagues in Metropolitan Police by chasing and armed burglar at 3am one Saturday. Norman was the first to apprehend this burglar, but because it was dark didn't see a knife which very nearly cost him his life when the burglar stabbed him in the chest.

Norman was rushed to hospital where he received treatment in the A&E department. The following day the surgeon overseeing Norman's treatment told his chief constable that the knife that he was stabbed with had hit a rib and deflected downwards. Had it gone the other way he would have died. Another ten days in hospital and three and half months off sick he again returned to frontline duties. This time, however, with less enthusiasm and reconsidering whether he should remain in the Police.

He decided to continue his career but didn't want any colleague to go through the types of assault and consequences that he had gone through. He therefore launched a campaign group called Protect the Protectors calling for better protection for all frontline Police Officers. In doing so he held a press conference and was a regular contributor to all sections of the national media on Police protection issues. He was also regularly stopped by victims of crime and the public who were impressed with his views on Law and Order and urged him to speak up for them too. To this end he also set up a charity called The Victims of Crime Trust which gave a voice for Victims of Crime and specialised helping families bereaved through murder or manslaughter.

The positions held by Norman allowed him to obtain a huge following and support by frontline Police Officers, victims of crime and the public alike. The reason for this is that Norman told it the way it was throughout the national media. His first hand experience of dealing with victims of crime, the general public, criminals and the judiciary gave him a wealth of first hand experience and knowledge of what he spoke about.

Not surprisingly there were those in the echelons in the Police Federation, Association of Chief Police Officers ACPO and the Home Office who were none to impressed with a frontline Police officer who was so outspoken and seen by rank and file Police officers to be doing the job of their official organisations. As a result these same organisations did what they could to discredit Norman at every opportunity on his views on Policing and victims issues.

However, in Norman's defence, when he first started campaigning for the Police 44,000 Police Officers gave him their support and many continued to send him emails and phone him encouraging him not to give up - hardly someone who doesn't represent the frontline Police service. You may be interested to know that the Police Review newspaper (The largest read Police newspaper) described Norman as probably being the best known face and voice in British Policing and that his Campaign group, PTP was the primary reason the Government of the day reversed their policy on issuing Police Officers with a side handled baton which had been originally refused.

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