Officers and staff receive recognition for their life-saving efforts

An awards ceremony has been held to recognise the life-saving efforts of constabulary officers and staff.

Chief Constable Charlie Hall said: “Our officers and staff are dedicated to public service and quite often their quick actions are what makes the difference between life and death.

“While their efforts are not always successful, at the very least the families of the individuals involved are able to take some comfort in knowing that everything was done to try and save their loved one and that they were not alone in their hour of greatest need.

“Every day I am proud of the work that my officers and staff do and it was a pleasure to present these well earnt awards and personally thank those involved.”

Royal Humane Society Awards

The Royal Humane Society is a charity that present awards for acts of bravery in the saving of a human life and also for the restoration of life by resuscitation.

The following awards have been presented for contributing to the saving or attempted saving of a life.

Acting Sergeant Lucy Hodgson from the Dacorum Intervention Team

PC Dom Pyburn who was based with the Road Policing Unit at the time of the incident 

PC Elliot Gunn from the Dacorum Scorpion Team.

In December 2022, police located a vehicle which had seemingly gone out of control, travelled off the road and collided with a nearby block of flats. Although this had happened at relatively low speed, it had caused the airbags to deploy.

Upon arrival PC Elliot Gunn immediately began CPR on the motorist. PC Dom Pyburn arrived shortly afterwards and used a defibrillator on the patient. CPR was continued and PC Pyburn fitted the driver with a special tube to ensure his airway was not obstructed and administered oxygen.

While paramedics prepared to take over, Acting Sergeant Lucy Hodgson and a colleague continued CPR taking turns to give chest compressions.

As a direct result of their intervention, paramedics were able to detect a pulse. Despite their efforts, the driver did not survive, however, the quick response of officers meant his family knew that everything possible was done to try and save him.

 

PC Luke Cummins from the North Herts Neighbourhood Policing Team and PCSO Shelley Gordon, based in Letchworth.

In March 2023, PC Luke Cummins and PCSO Shelley Gordon responded to an alert reporting that a man had fallen down the stairs and was in cardiac arrest.

Both officers attended immediately and found the patient collapsed in a precarious position halfway down the stairs, with a restricted airway.

Between them they managed his head wound, whilst also conducting CPR and were subsequently joined by paramedics and the air ambulance service.

The patient was taken to hospital and made a full recovery.

The award citation said that the pair’s actions not only saved the patient’s life, but also prevented him from suffering long-term consequences.

 

Sergeant Ricky Carter PC Hamza Hassanein Abd-Alla, who were both based with the North Herts Scorpion Team at the time of the incident.

In January 2023, police were called by the ambulance service, reporting that a female at an address in Hitchin had self-harmed and was in possession of a knife.

Sergeant Ricky Carter, who was a PC at the time, and PC Hamza Hassanein Abd-Alla responded to the call.

PC Carter made the decision to force entry to the property as they had serious concerns for the woman’s welfare.

They discovered that she had taken an overdose and was also bleeding severely from a number of wounds.

While PC Hassanein Abd-Alla reported updates and requested an ambulance, Sgt Carter remained with the woman, comforting her and keeping her talking in an effort to keep her conscious.

The officers dressed her wounds and assisted paramedics, who were concerned that she might not survive due to the significant blood loss.

She was taken to hospital and due to the quick actions of the officers survived.

 

PC Tom Winter from the Dacorum Intervention Team.

In February 2023, police received reports that a man had been stabbed in Dolphin Square, Tring, and that the offenders were still nearby.

On arrival at the scene, PC Tom Winter immediately gave first aid who was bleeding significantly from his arm.

Along with another officer, he also gave first aid to another stab wound to prevent further blood loss.

When the ambulance arrived, the officers continued to assist the paramedic and they went to hospital with the victim securing key evidence and providing excellent victim care.

The offenders were arrested at their home address nearby and were subsequently charged and remanded.

There is no doubt that the quick and calm actions of PC Winter and his colleague saved the victim’s life.

 

Chief Constable Commendation

A commendation from Chief Constable Charlie Hall is the highest form of constabulary recognition. It recognises great courage, bravery and/or outstanding work.

Police Staff Molly Watson, Volume Crime Scene Examiner based at Stevenage 

ON Thursday 9 November 2023, Molly Watson came across two stationary vans on the dual carriageway of Corey’s Mill, Stevenage, and assumed there had been a minor collision or a breakdown.

But she discovered that the driver of one of the vans was suffering a medical episode and the other van driver was attempting to call 999.

Molly went through the initial life-saving checks and at the time the individual appeared to have a weak pulse. She was unable to get him out of the vehicle to start CPR but managed to flag down officers in a passing Road Policing Unit vehicle to assist.

She also spotted an ambulance nearby that was stuck in traffic so ran to them to request help.

Molly then started to direct traffic, even receiving some verbal abuse from a member of the public for stopping him from getting home.

The air ambulance took the man to hospital where he underwent surgery and made a full recovery.

Chief Superintendent Jon Simpson, Chief of Staff, said: “Molly is a Volume Crime Scene Examiner, who is not trained to respond to emergency incidents. However, she kept an incredibly calm head and her actions undoubtedly helped to give the man a chance. Molly has upheld the qualities of the police family and the ethics which mean so much to us.”

 

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