Uniformed officers and members of staff from Devon and Cornwall Police and two members of the public, have been recognised for their extraordinary achievements for their roles in keeping local communities safe.
Chief Superintendent Roy Linden, who heads up the policing teams said: “It has been an immense privilege to celebrate the remarkable service and heroic actions of our police officers and brave members of the public.
In June 2023, there was a report of a high-risk missing man who was in a suicidal state.
He had left his home and fled to a wooded area in South Brent.
A police helicopter was deployed to assist with the search.
Local residents David and Helen saw the helicopter passing above their home and decided to see if they could help.
They began a search of the local area and later located the man 15-foot up a tree with a rope around his neck.
The couple spent time speaking with the man, until police negotiators and emergency services arrived at the scene.
David remained there for a number of hours until the man had come safety down from the tree and he was safe with local officers.
David and Helen’s quick thinking and empathy undoubtedly saved the life of this vulnerable young man.
In June 2023, an elderly woman with dementia was reported as a high-risk missing person.
What followed was an exceptional piece of teamwork from police officers and staff from the police control room to locate the vulnerable missing woman.
Chloe Webber, a control room operator, was instrumental in gathering important information about the missing woman she also secured additional resources to help police officers on the ground, including help from the National Police Air Service (NPAS) who assisted in the skies, and help from Enzo the police dog who helped officers on the ground.
Officers located a footprint which looked like that of a woman’s and narrowed their search to a wooded area in Dartmouth.
Enzo successfully picked up a scent and followed a track towards a river, where they found the women partially in the river.
The team quickly freed the woman, bringing her to safety.