Social care worker honoured after saving life of injured police officer

Thursday, 29 January 2026 00:31

By David Murphy

A deputy team manager from a Rochdale-based care organisation has been commended for saving the life of a police officer who was seriously injured while on duty.

Joe Dunning, who works for Future Directions CIC, was awarded the Greater Manchester Police Citizen’s Commendation for Lifesaving First Aid after responding to a violent incident outside a pub in Chorlton-cum-Hardy.

The officer, who has not been named, had been injured during an assault and was lying unconscious in the road when Joe intervened. Drawing on his Nursing Associate training, he cleared the officer’s airway and administered emergency first aid while awaiting backup.

Joe was DJing at the venue when a disturbance broke out and several people were removed by door staff. Minutes later, a group of young women alerted him to a police officer who had reportedly been hurt. Joe found the officer unresponsive and bleeding heavily from the nose and mouth.

“I rushed out to check that she was okay,” he said. “On my arrival the police officer was unresponsive and bleeding heavily from the nose and mouth. I immediately began giving first aid and ensuring her airway was clear.”

Police colleagues soon arrived and assisted him until paramedics took over. Joe helped to transfer the officer onto a spinal board before she was taken to hospital. She has since made a full recovery and returned to work.

A week later, GMP sent a letter thanking Joe for his actions. In December, he was shortlisted for the commendation and received his award at GMP’s Hough End Complex from Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson QPM.

Joe described the experience as overwhelming, saying it felt like “second nature” to step in.

Future Directions CIC is a not-for-profit care provider that supports people with learning disabilities, autism, mental health conditions and complex needs across the North of England. The organisation employs over 1,000 staff and reinvests its profits into care services.