TWO States police officers who helped save the lives of two stabbing victims have received the highest award possible from the Island’s police chief.
PCs James Elliott and Elliot Brown were the first officers on the scene at the Temple Bar in December 2021 after Paul Hadikin plunged a large kitchen knife into a fellow pub-goer’s stomach following an argument.
Arriving three minutes after 999 calls were made, with a medical bag in hand, the pair administered CPR when the victim’s injuries became so serious that he started slipping in and out of consciousness.
Yesterday, police chief Robin Smith said: ‘Paramedics and hospital staff commended how the swift action assisted in stabilising the victim, recognising the seriousness of the condition and contributing to saving his life.’
On 9 January, the officers were again among the first officers on the scene, this time at an attempted murder at Le Geyt estate, where a teenager was stabbed 23 times and left with a knife sticking out of his back. The victim was ambushed by fellow teens over an alleged drug debt. He suffered two punctured lungs and lacerations to his liver and needed an operation in Southampton Hospital to remove part of the blade from his back.
Mr Smith said that the officers arrived seven minutes after the 999 call, splitting up and searching for the victim.
When they found him, with the victim saying he could not feel his legs, PCs Brown and Elliott stabilised the young man and stayed with him until an ambulance arrived.
Mr Smith said that the two officers had contributed to saving the victim’s life.
The police chief presented the pair with commendation awards yesterday in recognition of their courage and professionalism in dealing with the incidents.
In a speech at police headquarters, Mr Smith said that a double award had never happened in his more than 35 years of service.
‘It’s remarkable and unique in my experience to give two Chief Officer’s Commendations at the same time.’
He added: ‘They can act as great role models, particularly to more junior staff.
‘You don’t know what you’re going to. You’re arriving at an incident on the first page of the book – you don’t know what the tenth chapter is going to look like so they are sort of stepping largely into the unknown.
‘And to have the competence to do that, to respond so quickly, to have the professionalism and the wherewithal not to get overwhelmed by what they see, and just get the job done – that’s where they can act as role models to other staff.’
Though the two officers did not want to comment on their award, Mr Smith said: ‘I think what they illustrate is probably the culture within the police service of humbleness. I often think officers would rather be told off than praised.’
