An unarmed officer who tackled a ‘career criminal’ with a loaded gun said it was too risky to let him get away, writes Jane Harrison.

PC Daniel Strong, who was one of five nominations for this year’s Met’s Outstanding Bravery of the Year Awards, has also been put forward for a Pride award by the force.

A spokeswoman said: “PC Dan Strong was on duty when he became aware of a male wearing a crash helmet, holding a silver handgun towards a cash in transit custodian and members of the public inside a post office.

“PC Strong followed the male who moved towards a motorcycle.

“Despite being aware that the male was in possession of a firearm, PC Strong overwhelmed the male and detained him on the floor.

“It was subsequently established that the firearm had in fact been loaded and the male had robbed the same post office some months earlier and was wanted for other offences.

“Daniel has been recognised internally. This would not be something that is expected of unarmed officers and he definitely went beyond his call of duty.”

Daniel, a father of two on the Ealing Safer Transport Team, was on patrol in Hanwell on March 14 last year when he heard the post office alarm. He radioed for help before going to investigate.

He said: “I looked in and saw a guy pointing a silver gun to the head of the cashier. I have never seen anything like that.

“It was quite surreal and took a while to sink in. It looked like something off Crimewatch.

“I followed him to the back of the shop where he had a scooter and he put the gun in his jacket pocket. I leapt on top of him and got him up against the fence. He had £50,000 and the gun was loaded.

“It turned out he was a career criminal, carrying out armed robberies all his life.”

He said he did feel a bit stunned afterwards but he felt he had no option but to intervene.

Daniel, 41, from Staines, who has nine years’ service, said: “I couldn’t let him ride off because next time he might shoot someone.

“I weighed up the risk and it did cross my mind he might shoot me, but I calculated the risk as the gun was in his pocket.

“My kids are proud of me and my wife trusts me to do the right thing.”

The robber was subsequently jailed for 18 years for a string of robberies and firearm offences.