Courage of Pcs who tackled drug gunmen

Two Metropolitan Police officers received the highest award for bravery today after tackling gunmen involved in a gang shootout.

The unarmed officers arrested a Serbian hitman and a cocaine dealer who had just shot three Colombian drug suppliers.

Pc Jeremy Archer and Pc Nick Woodhouse received their awards from the Prime Minister at the annual Police Bravery Awards.

The gun drama unfolded in Putney High Street when a car screeched to a halt in front of the officers' patrol vehicle and three blood-soaked Colombians leapt out screaming that they had been shot.

The officers were caught in the middle of an underworld feud between the Colombian drug suppliers and cocaine dealer Kamran Anwar. He claimed the Colombians had robbed him of ?85,000.

Anwar and his bodyguard Igor Konopek, an ex-policeman and former member of a firearms rapid response unit in Belgrade, had staked out a house in Putney.

When the gang turned up they were met with a hail of bullets and fled, pursued at high-speed by Anwar and Konopek. Fearing for their lives, the Colombians drove across the police officers' path and jumped out, shouting for help. One man staggered out of the car, his shirt crimson with blood from a stomach wound.

As the officers called for help, Anwar and Konopek drove past. The officers realised they would be armed and were likely to use their weapons, but they still set off in pursuit.

The gunmen's vehicle got caught in traffic and Konopek made a run for it and Pc Archer set off after him while Pc Woodhouse stayed in the car following Anwar.

Pc Archer, 32, and married, said: "I chased Konopek down a side street off Putney High Street and into an alleyway. It was a dead end. He put his hands into his top and pulled out a Walther PPK pistol. He pointed the gun at my stomach. I grabbed his hand and pushed the gun away."

The Pc managed to force him to drop the gun and managed to get one handcuff on him. The gunman feigned compliance before sprinting off.

Pc Archer went on: "I chased after him and he disappeared into a bush outside a block of flats but a passerby showed me where he was hiding and I arrested him."

He added: "Looking back I just feel very lucky. I could have been killed."

The gun was later recovered and found to be loaded and ready to fire.

Meanwhile, Pc Woodhouse, 43, a father of two, had also set off on foot in pursuit of Anwar after he had abandoned his car. The officer lost sight of him for a short time until he noticed him trying to mingle with guests at a barbecue in the garden of a private house.

Without hesitation he tackled the gunman in front of stunned partygoers and pulled him into an alley where he wrestled him to the ground.

The two gunmen were later sentenced to a total of 39 years in prison at the Old Bailey.

Met Commissioner Sir John Stevens said: "This is just one example of the type of work Met officers perform on a daily basis to ensure the safety of Londoners."