A POLICE officer who persuaded a man to step down from a bridge in Colchester has received a commendation.
Dog handler PC Jim Beaird, who was off duty when he talked the man into stepping away from danger, received a Chief Constable's commendation for his life-saving efforts.
PC Beaird was returning home from work in January last year when he spotted a distressed and vulnerable man standing on the wrong side of the bridge.
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Fearing for the man’s safety, the officer first reported the incident to the police force control room, requesting all trains be stopped, and to the East of England Ambulance Service control room.
PC Beaird then spoke to the man for more than an hour before offering him his hand and escorting him over the railings.
He then ensured the man received the medical help he needed.
He said: “I saw the man on a bridge and went to see what was wrong.
"He wouldn’t talk to begin with but I kept talking and built up a rapport.
"I felt compassion for the man as he was going through a hard time but when I tried to move closer, he moved away. I thought about the risk and tried to limit it.
“There was a lot of conversation and then it’s all a blur but I put my hand out and he reached out and grabbed it. It’s nice to be recognised and to know that you are valued for going that extra mile.”
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