A FIREFIGHTER who prevented a young mother from being attacked by a violent man, two police officers who saved a woman's life after she was stabbed 38 times and four friends who stopped a thief in his tracks have been honoured at Brent's police commendation ceremony.
More than 40 members of the Metropolitan Police Service were presented their awards at the Wembley Plaza Hotel, in Wembley, by borough commander, Chief Superintendent Mark Toland.
Among the winners honoured earlier this month were members of the public awarded for their outstanding courage, resilience and restraint in pursuing and apprehending dangerous criminals.
For the second year Brent Police presented the annual awards to members of staff including 'The Chris Roberts Award', in memory of PC Roberts, who died while on duty in December 2007.
The award was presented to PC Ciaran Kilmartin by PC Roberts' daughter Hannah.
Mark Tolland, borough commander, said: “This is my favourite ceremony. It is a great opportunity to acknowledge the good work of my staff and colleagues.
“During the ceremony I awarded certificates for outstanding acts of bravery, professionalism, dedication to duty and performance at the highest level. The stars of the show were those who received awards, however I am very conscious of the guests that attended with them who support them all year round. I have no doubt that they were amazed by some of the actions taken by the recipients of the awards.”
The stories behind the awards:
ON Friday, May 5, 2006, Police Constable Shaun Venner and Police Constable Simon Adams were called to a block of flats in Mitchell Brook Way.
On arrival the officers noticed a hand mark in blood on the door frame and could hear disturbing sounds inside. The officers forced their way into the flat and found a small, terrified child, sitting in the hallway who was quickly removed from the building to safety.
The officers then entered the bathroom and discovered a man violently attacking a woman and trying to drown her in the bath. There was a large carving knife in the sink and the man, who was the victim's partner, had already stabbed her 38 times.
The officers bravely restrained the man and gave the women first aid. An A & E consultant stated the woman would not have survived if PC Adams and PC Venner had not intervened. The attacker was eventually charged with the attempted murder of his wife, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey and was sentenced to eight years imprisonment.
IN September last year the Fire Service were undertaking a leaflet drop in Kilburn when firefighter Matthew Lloyd and his colleagues were approached by a young woman with a pushchair and a two-year-old child.
The woman was very distressed, screaming for help, and was being followed by a young black man and two other youths. She was shouting 'He is going to kill me, don't let them take me.”
The man then grabbed the woman and pulled her to the floor before grabbing the pushchair with the child in and throwing it at a parked vehicle.
Without regard to his personal safety Fire fighter Lloyd intervened and during the struggle was head butted by the man who broke the officer's nose. Despite this he continued to protect the woman before the suspect ran away from the scene. He was later arrested and received a custodial sentence at Harrow Crown Court.
POLICE Sergeant Peter Goodchild, PC Steve Stuart and PC Clare Blenner-Hassett were commended for their compassion and perseverance after stopping a suicidal woman from jumping off a building.
She had walked out of a ward at Northwick Park Hospital and climbed onto a outside wall by a fourth floor stairwell, holding onto a chain with only one hand.
The officers together started talking to the woman to tell her to come down but she refused and became adamant she was going to jump. Time was not on the officers' side after it emerged she had been given a sleeping pill that was beginning to take effect.
Sergeant Goodchild decided to act quick and climbed onto the wall to help her down before fell.
BRAVE Chitrasen Gaikwad was travelling on the top deck of a number 18 bus with his three friends, Sagar Shukla, Karan Mohite and Sameer Lodha, when they noticed two men staring over at them. The men snatched the iPhone that Chitrasen was holding before running off the bus.
But Chitrasen and his friends were determined not to let the thieves get away with their crime and so chased them and restrained them before the police arrived. Borough commander, Mark Toland, said: “Without the quick thinking and brave actions of Chitrasen and his friends it would have been difficult to trace the suspect and Chitrasen would have certainly lost his iPhone.
“It is important to remember that Chitrasen, Sagar, Karan and Sameer are not police officers but members of the public who have shown great courage by not allowing the suspects to get away.”
Other award winners:
PC Tom Gibbs
PC Stephen Mather
PC Manoj Gopal
Intelligence Analyst Kelly Drewery
Intelligence Analyst Julia Hutton
PC Stephen Long
PC Angus Cleet
PC Andy Bowers
PC Paul Jones
PC Barry Munnelly
PC Mike Salmon and police dog Bernie
Police Sergeant Martin Robbie
Police Sergeant Fiona Fraser
PC John Murray
PC Paul Haworth
PC Philip Pask
PC John Ryan
Alex Armah, Brent resident
Obi Okoye, manager of Abbey Building Society in Harlesden
Detective Constable Nicolas Clarke
Police Sergeant Liam Cahill
PC Paul Harris
PC Tom Warrilow
Inspector Ian McKerrow
Police Sergeant Pat O'Hara
Police Sergeant Darren Havard
PC Deryck Wilson
PC Patrick Reilly
PC Anne Collyer
PC Duncan Macleod
PC Navindra Soden
Detective Inspector Andy Chalmers
Criminal Justice Unit Case Manager Maria Newton
Witness Care Officer Clair McCann
PC Paul Carrano
PC Andrew Mason
Detective Inspector Peter Wallis
Detective Sergeant Owen White
Detective Constable Tanya Fyffe
PC Liam Bailey
PC Chris Wyman
