Staffordshire Cops Hailed for Bravery During 2024 Riots

In November 2025, two Staffordshire police officers, PCs Bethany Cottrell and Natalie Millward, have been nominated for the Your Heroes Awards for their courageous actions during the violent civil unrest that swept across the UK in the summer of 2024.

The unrest, which broke out in the wake of the murder of three girls in Southport, saw officers subjected to abuse, threats, and projectiles. PCs Cottrell and Millward were on the frontline during a riot in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, on August 3, 2024. Despite being without protective gear, the officers bravely ran towards people armed with weapons, including gardening forks, baseball bats, and timber, and managed to disarm them in a "direct act of bravery."

According to their commander, Ch Insp Dave Barrow, the officers' actions "epitomize what it means to serve in uniform." He praised their "unwavering courage and selflessness," which "minimized violence and prevented serious injury to countless individuals." PC Cottrell later rejoined the frontline after changing into protective gear, while PC Millward helped distribute water to exhausted officers.

The Your Heroes Awards, organized by the University of Staffordshire, aim to highlight unsung heroes in communities across the county. The uniformed hero category, for which PCs Cottrell and Millward have been nominated, recognizes those who have gone above and beyond their usual duties.