2021 BRAVERY AWARDS


CUMBRIA PC Dave White and PS Dave McGinn undertook quick-thinking and life-saving actions when a woman, threatening to harm herself, entered the fast-flowing River Eden in Carlisle. The officers were assisting with the rescue of the woman using buoyancy equipment, but she let go of a branch and was taken down river and lost consciousness. PC White and PS McGinn immediately entered the river and managed to get hold of the woman, pulling her towards the riverbank. With help from their colleagues, they lifted the woman from the river, where first aid was administered. The woman was taken to hospital with mild hypothermia and has since made a full recovery.


DERBYSHIRE PC Richard Deakin, PC Joshua Dales, PC Max Freeman and an officer we cannot name, responded to calls of a woman in the River Derwent. The river is known to have dangerous underwater currents and is close to a deep weir. The woman was also close to a sluice, which leads to a turbine blade. The officers risked their own lives by entering the treacherous water to aid the woman, who at first resisted and tried to move further across the weir. Eventually, the group of brave officers were able to get to the woman and pull her to safety.


DORSET PS Paul Linpower and PC Lee Mather were called to an address in Bournemouth to help care workers who required assistance with a male suffering from mental health issues. When they arrived the building was ablaze. The officers knew that they had to act quickly and made the decision to place themselves in extreme danger to save the lives of others. As PC Mather readied his Taser, PS Linhower opened a door using a round shield as protection. The male came towards the door, holding knives in both hands and raising one hand above his head as if preparing to attack. PC Mather discharged Taser, the man was disarmed and handcuffed. Firefighters then entered and tackled the blaze. Both officers provided aftercare to the male, who became violent and resisted once the effects of the Taser had worn off.


DYFED-POWYS PC Mark Thomas was tasked to help look for a man who had been reported missing a short time earlier and was believed to be walking along the A48. As he pulled into a car park, the officer noticed someone matching the description of the missing male. As PC Thomas got closer the man


started running towards him and pulled out a kitchen knife. He swung the knife at PC Thomas in a slashing motion, just inches from his chest. Due to the risk PC Thomas believed he might pose to the public, he deployed his Taser. Fortunately, PC Thomas sustained minor injuries during the incident, and was able to remain on duty.


HAMPSHIRE PC Jade Rudd arrived on scene to a 999 call, following reports from staff at the location that a man had used the petrol pump to douse himself before attempting to light himself. PC Rudd found the man in the middle of the forecourt in a very distressed state. PC Rudd directed members of the public to move away for their safety and approached the male, ushering him away from the forecourt petrol pumps and onto a nearby pavement, all the time engaging with him in close conversation. Through negotiation, she managed to disarm the male by persuading him to hand over the knife he had, put the cigarette out and allow her to take the lighter from him.


PC Mark Burbidge PC Owain Smallwood


GWENT PC Mark Burbidge and PC Owain Smallwood responded to calls that two people had been attacked by a water buffalo in the Monmouth area. One male was lifeless while another was still showing some signs of life and distress. PC Burbidge could see that a mother and daughter were also in the field, using poles to try to distract the buffalo. Without hesitation, he entered the field and shouted to the two females to leave. He approached the buffalo, just as it charged at the daughter who was knocked to the ground. PC Burbidge ran towards the daughter, picking up two poles as he did so, and began beating them to distract the animal. He struck the buffalo, allowing time for the daughter to crawl away. PC Smallwood arrived on scene to assist. The officers formed a protective line between themselves and the buffalo to allow the Welsh Ambulance Service to treat the victims. Their actions allowed the safe landing of HeliMed to recover the men, one of whom had sadly died.


HERTFORDSHIRE PS Martin Kemp responded to reports of a man darting in and out of traffic at the junction of the M25 and A1 at South Mimms. Traffic on the eastbound carriageway had been stopped, but the man went onto the central reservation, before moving to the westbound carriageway. PS Kemp arrived and grabbed the man, who immediately began lashing out at the officer, breaking his glasses. The traffic was still flowing freely posing a dangerous threat to both the man and PS Kemp. As the man threw punches and grabbed hold of the officer, PS Kemp managed to get him onto the central reservation before two HGVs came speeding past. Other officers arrived on scene and the man was arrested.


HUMBERSIDE PC Paul Arthur, PC James Bee, PC John Chase, PC Helen Dixon, PC Chris Grady, PC Ian Sweeney and PC Mitchell Walker worked as a team to prevent a man, who had contacted his probation service with suicidal thoughts, from causing harm to himself. The man had doused himself in petrol and was in the front garden of a property still carrying a petrol can and holding a lighter. The officers made cautious attempts to engage with the man, who suddenly used the lighter to ignite his petrol-soaked clothes, engulfing him in flames. PC Grady had the forethought to approach a local maintenance man to see if he had a fire extinguisher in his van. PC Walker and PC Grady immediately ran to his help without any thought for their own welfare and covered him in dry powder from the fire extinguisher, quelling the flames very quickly. PC Bee and PC Sweeney helped detain the man, while PC Chase quickly administered first aid.


31 I POLICE I OCTOBER 2021


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52