Teesside MPs backing medal recognition calls for severely injured emergency workers
It follows a campaign led by an ex-Darlington police officer Tom Curry
MPs are backing a national campaign to seek formal recognition for emergency workers who are severely injured in the line of duty.
Stockton West MP Matt Vickers, Redcar MP Anna Turley and Darlington MP Lola McAvoy are among more than 200 MPs who have lent their support to the campaign being led by an ex-Darlington police officer Tom Curry.
A Parliamentary debate has also been arranged in the House of Commons.
The campaign wants to see medals awarded to police, fire and ambulance workers, who are injured on duty, medically discharged as a result and forced to retire, in recognition for their service and sacrifice.
A medal is available to public servants, including emergency personnel, the Elizabeth Emblem, but only posthumously if they are killed in the course of duty.
Figures seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) and obtained during the course of the campaign via Freedom of Information requests show a total of 259 former officers with Cleveland Police would potentially be in line for a medal under the proposals.
Mr Vickers, who is the Shadow Crime, Policing and Fire Minister, praised Mr Curry’s “excellent” campaign and previously called upon Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to meet with him and Mr Curry.
Mr Curry has highlighted the number of officers injured in last summer’s riots, which saw disorder in Hartlepool and Middlesbrough, some potentially having to quit their roles as a result – without receiving any formal recognition.
Police officers can receive long service/good conduct awards, but some see their employment cut short before achieving the required number of years service.
Mr Curry said: “If two coppers or two firemen go to the same incident, one is killed and one is put on a life support machine or ends up in a wheelchair, the latter will get nothing unless he dies.”
The 75-year-old spent the majority of his career with Sussex Police from 1967 to 1989 when he received a life changing injury after being attacked by a mob, forcing him to quit the force on medical grounds.
At that time there was a 22-year wait to qualify for a long-service medal – later reduced to 20 – with Mr Curry falling just six weeks short.
‘Fantastic idea’
Steven Bolsover, who along with a colleague came under attack during violent disturbances in Hemlington, Middlesbrough in November 2023, said the campaign was a “fantastic idea”.
The ex-Cleveland Police sergeant, who had been with the force 25 years, had bricks, bottles and pieces of concrete hurled at him and was forced to use his baton to defend himself during a frenzied assault.
His injuries were such that when colleagues came to the pair’s assistance, it was thought Mr Bolsover’s throat had been cut.
Shattered glass had lodged into his chin, leaving deep lacerations and heavy bleeding, but worse still muscles and nerves in his hand were severed.
The damage to his hand was such that he no longer has full use of it, forcing him into medical retirement, while he was subsequently also diagnosed with complex PTSD.
He has now been nominated in the 2025 Police Bravery Awards, organised by the Police Federation of England and Wales.
Mr Bolsover, 54, who will never work again and described being in daily pain, told the LDRS: “I put my life on the line, but it’s not just me there are other people throughout the country, ambulance, fire service personnel who get injured in the line of duty.
“They may not get the recognition they deserve.
“There should be something to recognise people’s commitment who as a result of no fault of their own are medically retired.”
The father of three said policing was always something he wanted to do, adding: “Unfortunately through no fault of my own, my career was cut short.”
A spokeswoman for the Cabinet Office, which has been considering Mr Curry’s proposals, said: “The Government is happy to consider the case for any new medal or award.
“Advice on new awards sit with the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decoration and Medals, which provides recommendations to His Majesty, The King, with whom the decision to create a new award rests.”