Brave police officers ran onto busy M5 to save man

Two officers who ran into live motorway traffic to save a suicidal man have been honoured with a Bravery Award at the inaugural Recognition Awards of the Avon and Somerset Police Federation. On 28 May 2023, Sgt Nick Dalrymple was called out to reports of a potentially suicidal man on an M5 road bridge. Upon arrival, he discovered the man in the road, walking into oncoming traffic.

Sgt Dalrymple immediately contacted the control room for an urgent closure of the M5 in both directions and requested additional units. PC Mitch Raymond, who was off-duty and driving home from work, pulled over on the hard shoulder after being forced to swerve. He promptly put himself back on duty to assist with the situation.

Both Sgt Dalrymple and PC Raymond had to venture into a live lane of traffic to chase the man, who appeared to be attempting to take his life. Neither officer had received training for such a scenario, reports SomersetLive[1]. Sgt Dalrymple informed the man that he was a police officer, but the man didn’t stop and continued.

The officer had to take control of the man for his own safety and that of others, so he used PAVA spray and arrested the man for obstruction of a highway. Reinforcements arrived at the scene to close the road, allowing the officers to guide the man across to the hard shoulder to safety. The man received the necessary care and was later able to return home to his family.

PC Raymond recounted the harrowing experience, saying: “The adrenaline took over and we didn’t realise how dangerous it was until afterwards, reflecting on the incident. But ultimately we have a job that we have to do, and we’re here to save lives. “Receiving this award is a proud moment it’s nice to be recognised for the work that we do.

This incident was the first time that Nick and I ever crossed paths, and now we’re good friends.” Sgt Dalrymple and PC Raymond were honoured as Avon and Somerset Police Federation’s nominees at this year’s National Police Bravery Awards. They had the privilege of visiting 10 Downing Street and later attended an evening awards ceremony.

Reflecting on the experience, Sgt Dalrymple said: “It was an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime experience. The Home Secretary was incredibly supportive of the police service and assured us that she values us and is invested in our wellbeing. “The awards ceremony was also extremely humbling, as we heard the amazing accounts of heroism displayed by our colleagues across the breadth of the UK.”

Iain Prideaux, Acting Chair of the Avon and Somerset Police Federation, praised the officers: “Both Nick and Mitch went above and beyond their daily duties to tackle this highly intense incident and ensure that the man was brought to a safe place. “Thanks to the heroic actions of these officers, the man was able to receive the help he needed. The motorway is a dangerous road network and the officers put their own lives in harm’s way to ensure the man was safe and that no members of the public were harmed.

We are very proud of them both.” Sgt Dalrymple and PC Raymond are set to be honoured at the Avon and Somerset Police Federation Recognition Awards on Thursday 3 October.

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References

1. ^ SomersetLive (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
2. ^ PlymouthLive is now on WhatsApp (chat.whatsapp.com)
3. ^ Privacy Notice (www.reachplc.com)
4. ^ Click here to join our WhatsApp community (chat.whatsapp.com)