Commendations for trio who risked lives to protect public

WELL done to three of our officers who received commendations for risking their lives to protect the public.

Inspector Lewis Basford, PC Patrick Wilks and PC Terry Saint each received a commendation after being called to an incident in South Ockendon where a man was reported to have been armed and making threats to kill members of the public.

The officers were confronted at an address by a man wielding a large knife and PC Wilks forced entry to the property after hearing a woman screaming for help. As soon as the officers got through the door, the man lunged at them and threatened to kill them.

Insp Basford said: “I think sometimes you go from job to job and you don’t take into account how much of an impact it has on you. When you get recognised for something that has happened which is slightly above and beyond the normal day, it’s nice to know that it’s appreciated.

“It’s not just appreciated by our colleagues or our senior officers, when these sort of stories go into the public domain there’s a full awareness of what we deal with on a day in day out basis across the whole of Essex and the UK.”

PC Wilks said: “It’s nice to be acknowledged. I do it day in day out and you don’t really think about until after the job is done and go back home to your own family. I’ve got two young kids and you get back and think was I daft?

“I just have to appreciate that it’s the job that I do and it’s nice to be recognised for something that I take for granted and what I do on a daily basis.”

Insp Basford (centre) and PC Wilks (right) are pictured with Deputy Chief Constable Matthew Horne.