A courageous sergeant has been recognised for his extraordinary actions after saving a woman from a savage dog attack in Yardley, Birmingham.

The terrifying incident occurred in the early hours of 23 May 2023, when West Midlands PS Paul Williams, responding alone to an emergency call, arrived to find a woman being mauled by two large German shepherd-type dogs. She had already suffered severe injuries and was in critical condition.

Despite being single-crewed and facing an unpredictable and violent situation, PS Williams immediately took action. Exiting his vehicle, he attempted to use his Taser to subdue one of the dogs, but it malfunctioned.

The aggressive animals then turned on him, forcing him back into his car. Undeterred, he assessed the malfunction and realised he had another opportunity to act.

With immense composure, PS Williams exited his car once more and successfully incapacitated one of the dogs with his Taser. However, the second dog launched at him, biting his arm.

Fighting through the pain, he managed to shake it off and return to his vehicle. As the first dog recovered from the Taser, both animals fled the scene, finally ending the harrowing attack.

PS Williams’s quick thinking and bravery prevented what could have been a fatal incident. The victim, who had been out for a walk in the early hours due to trouble sleeping, was rushed to the hospital and spent four weeks in intensive care.

PS Williams sustained injuries to his arm that required medical attention, but he humbly described them as superficial compared to the life-threatening wounds suffered by the woman.

Reflecting on the ordeal, PS Williams stated:

“As police officers, we’re the ones that are called, we’re the ones that need to take action, and we sign up to do that. I couldn’t just sit there and watch her get killed in front of me. If it wasn’t me, nobody else was going to do anything, so that’s what I did.”

Jess Davies, West Midlands Police Federation acting chair, said: “We are all very aware of the threat posed by savage dogs and all too often have to deal with the tragic consequences of their attacks.

“But despite this and the very real fear of being mauled himself, Paul showed incredible bravery and quick thinking to tackle two out-of-control animals.

“In true policing style, he put his own safety on the line to protect the public.

“There is no doubt in my mind that his actions saved the woman’s life, and who knows what else would have happened if those dogs were able to continue prowling the streets?

“Paul did a fantastic job in a very frightening circumstances and his actions make him very deserving of his nomination.”

Investigations suggested the dogs had been released onto the street by their owner. Had PS Williams not intervened, the consequences could have been even more devastating.