A police officer is in a critical condition in hospital after he and a female colleague were struck by a car as they helped deal with an unrelated early-morning incident.
Scotland Yard said the female officer sustained a number of fractures and that her condition was serious but stable.
The driver of the Maserati car, a – a man aged in his 50s – was arrested at the scene on suspicion of dangerous driving and failing to provide a specimen of breath. He remains in custody.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said: “It is incidents such as this that act as a stark reminder of the uncertainties of police work and the dangers that officers face every day when they put on their uniforms or start their shifts to go and help the public.
“These officers were helping their colleagues respond to another incident when they were struck by a car.
“Police officers are trained to respond to horrific incidents such as that, but to do so knowing that it is your colleagues who are in need of help takes the utmost professionalism.
“Thanks to all the officers and emergency services who rushed to attend and all the medical staff who continue to care for my officers.”
The police constables, based in Brent borough in north west London, were returning to a marked police vehicle parked on the A406 near Brent Park in Neasden when the white supercar hit them at around 3.40am on Sunday. The vehicle sustained serious damage.
London Ambulance Service took the two officers to hospital, along with a female occupant of the car.
The woman who had been in the car, aged in her 40s, was not seriously injured but remains in hospital.
Road closures were put in place while emergency services dealt with the incident but all cordons have now been lifted.
Anyone who witnessed the collision or has information that may assist police are asked to contact the police.