At 0142 hrs on Friday 13 th March 2009 PC Hargrave was on duty and involved a vulnerable missing person enquiry. A male was sighted in the water near to Worthing Pier. It was dark, the sea state moderate.

PC Hargrave was the first officer at the scene and saw the male swimming out to sea. The male was not within shouting distance and PC Hargrave realised that the man was in danger. He informed his colleagues of his intention to enter the water. He removed most of his heavy clothing and entered the sea with a torch in his mouth so his colleagues could see him. He swam about 100m and was met with aggression from the male. He persevered; they had drifted about 150m but managed to pull the man back to the beach. Both were physically exhausted and received medical attention. Both made a full recovery

A second rescue completed by PC Hargrave within a four-month period!

At 2259 hrs on 4 th July 2009 Steve and colleagues were on foot patrol in Worthing town centre. They were alerted to a person in the water near the pier screaming. They arrived about a minute later to see a female in the water 30 to 50 metres out and clearly in distress. Steve removed his heavy clothes and swam out to her. Although mid summer there was a falling tide and an onshore wind, which made swimming, conditions hazardous.

Steve found the female in a state of panic and she very quickly became unconscious. He grabbed the female and swam for shore, the tide and conditions though made this difficult and they were thrown against the structure of the pier.

Steve's colleagues threw a lifebelt on a rope out to him. He caught hold of it and they were towed to shore. As they got the lady onto the beach they found she was not breathing. Steve gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and she quickly regained consciousness. She was immediately taken to hospital and made a full recovery.

At 2152 hrs on Saturday 26 th July 2009 PS Cookson tried to negotiate with and reassure a distressed female who was threatening to throw herself into the River Trent. She appeared to be suffering from a mental illness; she spoke of hearing voices that told her to jump into the water.

After 30 minutes of negotiations, she ran along the river bank shouting hysterically before jumping into the water. He shouted to her to swim to safety, but she ignored him and was seen to go under the surface of the water and out of sight.

PS Cookson grabbed a life buoy that was nearby and entered the water and swam to where he last saw the woman. He was able to bring her to the surface and despite strong resistance from her was able to take control, using the buoy for assistance and brought her to safety.

At 0235 hrs on Saturday 17 th October 2009 Police were called to reports of a male struggling in the Bridgewater Canal near to Barton Bridge, Eccles. The male had a history of psychiatric problems.

On arrival both officers could see an apparent lifeless body in the water and another male on the bank shouting at the casualty. PS Westhead entered the water with a ‘Perry Line'. PC O'Connell remained on the bank to provide control room with updates and deal with the male on the bank – the casualty's brother.

On reaching the male, PS Westhead found him unconscious and partially submerged as he was wearing jeans and a heavy coat. He started to swim back to the bank. After a few feet the male regained consciousness and started to struggle. PS Westhead took control and got him to the bank with the help of PC O'Connell pulling the Perry Line. The male was pulled onto the bank and placed in the recovery position, he vomited some water and was breathing regularly , he was suffering from extreme cold and was wrapped in a Space Blanket. Both the male and PS Westhead were conveyed to hospital suffering from low body temperature and symptoms of hypothermia. Both made a full recovery.

At 1809 hrs on Tuesday 3 rd March 2009 PS Hudspeth attended a report of a male threatening to jump from Wearmouth Bridge. On arrival at the scene, other officers were in attendance and the male had already jumped into the river.

The male was face down and unconscious in the middle of the river. The inshore lifeboat and paramedics had already been alerted, but the male was too far from the banks to be reached and a lifeline could not be used.

PS Hudspeth and PC Whitcker entered the water and swam to the male, they turned him onto his back, he was still unconscious and they pulled him to the bank. A member of the public helped them to get him out of the water. The male was taken to hospital and made a full recovery.

A0042 hrs on Sunday 20 th September 2009 a call was received that a male was in the water, struggling and unable to swim at the ferry Landing, River Tyne, South Shields.

It transpired that the male had jumped into the river whilst intoxicated.

PC Thompson arrived on scene, the male had already been in the water for at least 20 minutes and was on the verge of disappearing under the water from exhaustion. PC THOMPSON donned a police issue inflatable life jacket and entered the water. He was attached to a life line. He swam about 35 metres in order to reach the male and clamed him down. They were both pulled ashore and both taken to the hospital, the male was treated for hypothermia. Both made a full recovery and PC Thompson swiftly returned work, completing his tour of duty that day.

At 0024hrs on Saturday 23 rd August 2009 Barking & Dagenham officers were alerted that a distressed female had called the police stating that she wasn't to jump of a bridge and end it all.

A short itme later PC BRISTOW found a woman sitting on the wall of a bridge in London Road, Barking, she was in distress and threatening to jump into the fast running Barking Creek below.

PC BRISTOW built up an excellent dialogue with the female, but despite the reassurance, she was adamant she wanted to end it all and would jump if anyone got close to her. She slid from the concrete wall and was left hanging onto some railings. She lost grip and fell into the water below. PC BRISTOW shouted instructions to officers nearby detailing what had happened.

PS BELL responded. He entered the fast running water and swam towards the woman. He raised her head from under the water and began to swim back towards the bank. PC HEAPY then entered the water to assist PS BELL and the woman to get out of the water and to safety.

The female made a full recovery. She was full of praise and thanks to the officers.