Page 5 - Bedfed Sept2016 Flipbook

in the spotlight
Sgt Paul Chadwick and his partner Dr Julia Gip“pert. PC Owen Webb and his fiancée Steph Surman.
fortunate enough to speak to Nick
Knowles, who was very engaging and a
massive supporter of the police, Keith Vaz
(chair of the Home Affairs Select WHICH FORCED THESE OFFICERS TO TAKE THE Committee), and Sir Tom Winsor (chief
inspector at HMIC), who I spoke to about
national funding formulas – and the
impact that this has on Bedfordshire Police
as opposed to larger forces. I also spoke to
my old CC Sara Thornton and DCC (now CC)
Francis Habgood.”
Owen spoke to Theresa May and also met, among others, Nick Knowles ‘a lovely fella’, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Met Commissioner and Sir Tom Winsor ‘who was wearing a normal suit and was actually a very nice chap, however, we didn’t talk about my pension!’
They were accompanied to the Dorchester awards by Bedfordshire DCC Mark Collins and Emma Carter, Bedfordshire Police Federation secretary.
Paul said: “It was a pleasure to spend time with my DCC who has been with Bedfordshire Police just over a year. I had not spoken to him prior to that evening so it was interesting to hear his thoughts on the Force and learn about his background.”
For Owen: “The evening reception was wonderful, in a beautiful hotel where I got to meet some of the most accommodating and polite chiefs of police that were actually interested in listening to our incidents.”
And he added: “I would like to thank Emma Carter for nominating us for the
award, It was a brilliant experience for me and my fiancée to see some beautiful parts of London, we were put up in a beautiful hotel close to the centre of everything.
“It is - possibly - a once in a life-time experience that I had a wonderful time with a good mate. I’d like to thank all Bedfordshire Police Constables for all the hard brave jobs that they do every day.”
The events which led to their nomination had unfolded in May 2015. Called to the incident, the officers could smell spirit or petrol coming from the letterbox and evacuated adjoining flats. After initially engaging with the woman through the locked door but then getting no response, they suspected her to be self-harming. Other officers tried to force entry via the rear door which was now on fire but it had been barricaded.
At the same time officers saw smoke coming from the letterbox and heard the smoke alarm go off. Flames were then seen
at the front door too. Officers smashed down the front door which was also barricaded and on fire with the curtain on the door fully ablaze.
PC Webb and Sgt Chadwick ran into the flat through the flames, despite the danger to themselves, the strong smell of accelerant - yet to ignite – and smoke everywhere.
Other officers outside ran for fire extinguishers, while others put the flames out. When the woman was found, she attacked officers and had to be Tasered and sprayed with Pava spray because she was resisting help. She had to be handcuffed and forcibly removed from the property to safety.
Jim Mallen, chair of Bedfordshire Police Federation, said: “This was a highly dangerous incident which forced these officers to take the brave decision to risk their lives to save this woman from what could have been a very different outcome.”
THIS WAS A HIGHLy DANGEROuS INCIDENT
BRAVE DECISION TO RISK THEIR LIVES TO SAVE THIS WOMAN FROM WHAT COuLD HAVE BEEN A VERy DIFFERENT OuTCOME.
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Photos courtesy of Anderson Photography