ONE police officer at least jumped into a waterway without first undertaking a 'dynamic risk assessment' with his superiors, so saving a man's life.
PC Nick Azzopardi was on a patrol near Camden Lock on the Regent's Canal when he saw a unconscious man lying face down in the water, and immediately dived in saving the man's life, pulling him to the side of the canal until he could be reached and pulled out, Alan Tilbury tells us.
Suffered a seizure
It is understood the man in his 20's had suffered a seizure before falling into the canal, but is now expected to make a full recovery in the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, with the police officer also taken to hospital suffering hypothermia.
It was a different ending for the teenager in the Lea Navigation (Drowning teenager not helped) where the police undertook a 'dynamic risk assessment' rather than jumping in to rescue him, with the teenager subsequently drowning.
Courage and bravery
In this case Inspector Matt Casey of Camden Police told:
"PC Azzopardi showed courage and bravery to deal with this incident in a decisive manner—behaviour we expect from Met officers. If it wasn't for his quick actions, this incident could have had much more serious consequences."