YesBut why?

Last Thursday the normal stream of commuters couldn’t be seen making their way home over Blackfriars Bridge. The pavement was eerily empty except for a group of policemen and an ambulance. On closer examination two policemen could be seen leaning over the bridge’s balustrade. There was also a police launch on station upstream of the bridge, accompanied by a Royal National Lifeboat Institution rescue boat. Had someone jumped off the bridge?

People walking along the Thames Embankment stopped and pointed to the bridge’s middle span. There was a man sitting on a ledge.

The services of approximately a dozen policemen, a police launch, rescue boat and ambulance were dedicated for the three hours it took to persuade the young man to climb back onto the bridge. No one would object to the expenditure involved in saving a life - even if the resources dedicated seemed to be excessive.

Having witnessing the events unfold, and the efforts of the City of London Police, it was a shock on Friday to hear the tearful please of a mother wanting to know why two Community Support Officers had stood by and watched her son drown.

In May, 10 year old Jordan Lyon was playing with his 8year old stepsister when she got into trouble in a pond in Wigan. He dived into the water to save her. Two anglers also jumped in and saved Bethany but unfortunately Jordan became submerged. The events were witnessed by Greater Manchester Police Community Support Officers (PCSO), who made no effort to take part in the rescue. Also the two PCSOs did not attend the inquest into Jordan’s tragic death.

Police chiefs have defended the two PCSOs stating “PCSOs are not trained to deal with major incidents such as this”.

So following police logic, if in the future I’m walking down the street and see an old woman fall, I shouldn’t help her to get up - because I’m not trained to assist old women.

If I see a lost child crying, I shouldn’t help - because I’m not trained to deal with lost children.

Unfortunately the tragic incident typifies some aspects of police procedure, where everything is done “according to the book”, and common sense no longer prevails.