Commendations for officers working within the Joint Protective Services Command

 

A ceremony to celebrate and reward the work of officers and staff from the Joint Protective Services, who work across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire, was held at Hertfordshire Constabulary Headquarters in Welwyn Garden City on Thursday, November 13.

Each recipient was presented with an Assistant Chief Constable’s Commendation by guest of honour Lieutenant Colonel Richard Dixon-Warren.

The first set of awards was given to officers who responded to an incident on the evening of January 23, 2011 in Luton, in which a man threatened to kill his ex-partner. Officers subsequently located the man in the centre of Leagrave Park, he had a shot-gun with him and was threatening to take his own life.

The incident continued throughout the night with the male sat in the middle of the field in the freezing cold with the shotgun placed under his chin stating he would shoot himself.

Specialist officers remained on scene until lunchtime on January 24th when the man discharged the shotgun. Officers, along with the ambulance service tried to save the man but he died at the scene.

Assistant Chief Constable for the Joint Protective Services Command, Jeff Hill said: “All officers on this operation performed their duties in the most testing and difficult of circumstances. Some officers however clearly went far and beyond what is reasonably expected of them in an attempt to save this male’s life.”

Officers who were commended for their actions were:

• Sergeant Chris Umpleby (Hertfordshire Constabulary) who is based in Luton
• Sergeant Matthew Everitt (Hertfordshire Constabulary) who is based at Hatfield
• 46 year old Sergeant Mick Pinsent (Bedfordshire Police), who is based at Huntingdon
• 35 year old Sergeant Nicky Baxter (Bedfordshire Police), who is based at Kempston

The next awards were presented to officers who responded to a fatal road traffic which occurred on the Lower Luton Road, near East Hyde in Hertfordshire on December 19, 2012.

The vehicle involved was travelling from Luton towards Harpenden when the driver carried out an overtake of three vehicles, as he pulled back into the correct lane the driver failed to negotiate a left hand bend, lost control and crashed into a number of trees.

The vehicle contained five occupants on route to their place of work in Hatfield. The rear seat passenger died as a result of the collision and the front seat passenger lost her unborn child.

Following an investigation, the driver was jailed for three years.

The officers who received an award were:

• 51 year old PC Jackie Lister (Hertfordshire Constabulary), who is based in Hitchin
• 44 year old PC Matthew Hollingsworth (Hertfordshire Constabulary) who is based in Hitchin

The next award of the evening related to a fatal road traffic collision in Hertfordshire. The incident occurred in Hemel Hempstead on 27th April, 2013 when a motorcyclist collided with a road sign. Officers attended the scene and assisted paramedics in giving CPR before sadly the man was pronounced dead.

The officers awarded were:

• 35 year old PC Adam Frost (Hertfordshire Constabulary) who is based in Hatfield
• PC Angela McKay (Hertfordshire Constabulary) who is based in Hemel Hempstead

Adam also received an award in connection with an incident in Stevenage whereby a man had been found lying in the street in apparent cardiac arrest. Adam worked with colleagues and paramedics to stabilise the man before he was taken to hospital.

Officers were also honoured for their response to a two vehicle fatal road traffic collision which occurred on January 6, 2014 on the M1 in Hertfordshire.

Both vehicles were exiting the slip road when the first vehicle lost control and veered across the slip road colliding with the rear of vehicle two. The male driver of vehicle one was extracted from the vehicle and CPR commenced, unfortunately this was unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The paramedics on scene were extremely complimentary about the efforts of the two officers.

The officers here to receive awards this evening are:

• PC Mark Crompton (Hertfordshire Constabulary) who is based at Hatfield
• 39 year old PC Neil Crosier (Hertfordshire Constabulary), who is based at Hatfield

Twenty-nine-year-old PC Mark West (Bedfordshire Police), who is based at Kempston was honoured for the part he played in an incident in which a man had been stabbed in Luton on July 22, 2014.

PC West had returned home following a late shift. Whilst at home he became aware of a noise at the front of his house and when he looked out of the window he saw two males run past and disappear out of sight. Shortly afterwards he became aware that a male had been stabbed nearby. Believing the males he had seen to be involved, he left his house and went looking for them. He located them close by and was able to direct colleagues to the location. Subsequently both were arrested.

The final awards of the evening were presented to DC Denise Brown (Cambridgeshire Constabulary) who is based with the Major Crime Unit in Huntingdon, and Detective Constable Nigel Rees (Bedfordshire Police) who is based with the Major Crime Unit in Welwyn Garden City.

The two detectives were involved in an investigation into a murder and attempted murder which occurred in Bedford on January 25th, 2014. The incidents had been motivated by a long standing dispute between the four defendants, the victims and their associates.

The investigation commenced with a three week manhunt before all defendants were located and arrested. In passing sentence the Judge commended all officers involved in the investigation and letters of thanks were received from the local MP and the victims’ relatives.

Assistant Chief Constable Jeff Hill said: “This is a fabulous job which is like no other. It is hugely rewarding, on occasions exciting but forever diverse, demanding and dynamic.

“Everyday officers are facing challenges, some with life threatening consequences, and the officers who received the awards are truly deserving of them. I would like to thank them all for their hard work and commitment. I would also like to thank their families who support them in so many ways.”