Drowning man

[Pigpen]

Originally Posted by SoggyFox

they maybe trained in life saving techniques but are they really around to save lives, don't we employ them to protect us from crime. I don't see the police as the be all and all of social services, crime fighting, life saving and anything else we could add on cos no one else does it.

bit of a grey area.

I would have had maximum respect for them if they'd at least tried to help but i wouldn't hang them for not.

First rule of Policing (or it was in the 70's when i joined) was "The protection of life and property".

That said you have to assess each situation on it's merits and if they deemed that they were likely to become further casualties, then they make the call based on that. I'm sure they will be re assessing their actions for a long time in the wee small hours.

[Adrian Kelland]

BBC NEWS | England | Man drowns in girl rescue attempt

[dry suit diver]

Originally Posted by Pigpen

First rule of Policing (or it was in the 70's when i joined) was "The protection of life and property".

That said you have to assess each situation on it's merits and if they deemed that they were likely to become further casualties, then they make the call based on that. I'm sure they will be re assessing their actions for a long time in the wee small hours.

it still is.

[scuba steve irl]

at the end of the day (comes the night)

on a serious note the first rule of life saving is dont put yourself or others at risk .

then the old ryhme , reach , throw , wade, row . the last thing that any water rescuer wants to do with a panicking victim is to gain physical contact . the ring would be great idea . but could they throw it that far ???? could they swim in the strong water currents?????

IMHO its a choice they made and they stuck by it . the victim put himself in that position . (Deepest sympathy) but 1 death is better that 2 or 3

[Jay_Benson]

Originally Posted by Pigpen

First rule of Policing (or it was in the 70's when i joined) was "The protection of life and property".

That said you have to assess each situation on it's merits and if they deemed that they were likely to become further casualties, then they make the call based on that. I'm sure they will be re assessing their actions for a long time in the wee small hours.

This is the correct approach - assess the risks of the situation. This is taught in so many courses (first aid, diving, amongst others) that it beggars belief that people think that the police should have just jumped in.

I wasn't there, I bet the media weren't there - the police were and made a judgement call about the risks. As has been said they will probably think about "what if" for some time.

[Scubee]

If the people on the scene, trained in assessing the risks decided not to, then who are we to question that decision.

Would i have gone in? I doubt it. I would probably have assessed the risks in a similar way, and come to the conclusion that i was not prepared to put myself at that level of risk for a total stranger. However, if it had been someone I cared about, the assessment of the risks would be different. if it had been my son, too right i would have been in (actually, I don't think he would have been stupid enough to get in there in the first place).

[Foggy]

A very difficult call to make. The man put himself in difficulty and the officers had to assess the risks as they saw them.

As to whether I would have gone in?
Yes - in my younger days I was in the lifeguards and was part of Thames rescue, and I have had to pull people out. On one occasion I had waded across the river without dunking my head, when a guy having left the pub (we had mid afternoon closing back then) did a Head first dive from the road bridge - he didn't surface, so myself and one other lifeguard started an underwater search ...when he suddenly popped to the surface bleeding profusly from his head (funnily enough he didn't thrash about much) - off to casulty asap. Another occasion a person went in a weir, and their muscles all spasm'd (jan 1st) - pulled them to the side of my canoe and held on whilst someone else pushed us to shore...yes cold water is in itself a risk.

Cheers, Paul

[Adrian Kelland]

BBC NEWS | England | Devon | Officers cleared on drowning man

[cazyoung]

Perhaps the witnesses who critisised the police had been imbibing as well as the guy who went in the river..........