Brave police are rightly honoured

11:39am Saturday 16th February 2008

POLICE officers can never be sure what a day at work will bring and, when the unexpected occurs, they have to act appropriately.

Those who received awards at the Divisional Commander's Ceremony yesterday did so because they displayed tremendous bravery or reacted in a way that saved lives.

Five officers were commended for saving the lives of two people who were threatening to commit suicide, while three others had apprehended a masked gunman.

PC Lee Ganley saved the life of a man trapped in a burning house and PC Julian Broddle withstood an attack from three men carrying pickaxe handles and baseball bats.

People are quick to criticise the police, but in these cases the officers involved showed that they joined the force for the right reason - to protect law-abiding members of the public from the actions of dangerous criminals and, sometimes, even from themselves.

These awards are more than a pat on the back for the police - they highlight the vital work they do every day.

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