Essex Police officers win Regional Police Bravery Award

TWO Essex Police officers who helped extinguish a man who had set himself on fire at a petrol station have won a prestigious police bravery award.

PC Shane Robinson (left) and PC Keith Lucas received the regional award from police minister Mike Penning at a ceremony in London on 16 October.

Mark Smith, chairman of Essex Police Federation, described them as “ordinary people, doing an extraordinary job.”

Earlier in the day, PC Lucas and PC Robinson – and their wives – joined 64 of their colleagues from 31 forces round the country for a reception at 10 Downing Street with Prime Minister David Cameron as a mark of recognition for their heroic acts.

PC Robinson said:  “Other officers nominated and that I work with are very brave on a daily basis.  Even with hindsight I don’t think I would really change what we did that night.  This event is a lovely way of recognising what we do as police officers up and down the country.”

PC Lucas said:  “When you look at the other nominees it’s an absolute honour to have won and I feel very proud.  It is unbelievable.  When you look at the CCTV it brings home what the dangers were – how close to the pumps the man was and how dangerous it was.  It’s an absolute pleasure to attend the event but it is no more than other officers would do.”

Charlotte Lucas said: “I am very proud. It was dangerous and they risked their lives – they didn’t think about themselves when they did it so it is nice to see them getting recognised for what they did.”

Natalie Robinson said: “You get scared when they walk out the door every morning but you don’t think about it when he is actually there. I am very proud – it was more than one person that he saved so I am very proud of him.”

Mark Smith, chairman of Essex Police Federation, said: “”Police officers across Essex display their bravery and courage every day as they patrol our streets, striving to cut crime and catch criminals.

“These brave officers do not realise what they did. To them it was just another job. This incident just goes to show what a job like no other policing is.

“We are incredibly proud of their work, as we are of all officers across the county. Ordinary people, doing an extraordinary job.”

PC Robinson and PC Lucas were called to the forecourt of a BP Garage in Westcliff-on-Sea following reports that a man had threatened to set himself alight. After arriving at the scene, the man did just that.

He quickly became engulfed in flame and he screamed in pain as he took a step towards the officers. They told him to drop to the floor, which he did, and PC Robinson threw his fleece over the man to try to put out the flames.

Both officers were aware that the garage could explode but they were dogged in their attempts to save the man. CCTV images show the man’s upper body engulfed as PC Robinson continued to beat the flames. The man rose to his feet and staggered a few feet before collapsing on the pavement, at which point the firefighters stepped in and started to extinguish him.

Miraculously the man survived and escaped with minor burns.