Officers commended for high standards of police work

AN ESSEX officer whose high standards of investigation secured the conviction of two sexual abusers in Tilbury was among six people to be awarded commendations by Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh.

Detective Constable Emma Dove was praised for her role in the complex child abuse investigation, in which she dealt with traumatised children with compassion and sensitivity.

One defendant in the case was handed a life sentence for five counts of rape, sexual assault and incitement; the other was given a five-year custodial sentence for permitting another to commit sexual assaults.

DC Dove was congratulated for her work at the commendation ceremony at Essex Police headquarters on Friday 13 January.

Three other officers, PC Robert Edgar, PC Benjamin Savory and PC Mark Lee, were commended for their dedication in trying to saving a man’s life.

The man had been found with serious injuries by a member of the public in March 2014. The three officers gave him CPR and made every effort to save him, while also reassuring the distraught witness. Sadly, he died from his injuries.

Two officers, PC Tobias Kemp and PC Chris Aldridge, were also commended after risking their lives to save a 13-year-old girl who was in a great deal of distress, close to a railway track in January last year.

PC Aldridge talked to the girl as his colleague made his way closer to her. As a train approached she made a move towards it and PC Kemp leapt forward and grabbed her to prevent her from being struck.

Mr Kavanagh said the six officers represented the “best of British policing”, while Roger Hirst, Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex, told the officers: “I’m always stunned by your bravery, professionalism and the way that you manage to deal with extraordinary crisis in a very short and prompt space of time by resolving things and saving people’s lives.”

Three members of the public were also commended for their bravery during an aggravated burglary in Loughton.