Sunday, April 17, 2005

The Marathon

Ahh the marathon.

The finest example of physical fitness and an enjoyable day out for many of the fun runners who raise so much money for worthwhile causes that mean so much to many.

This was my first "Aid" day. This meant I was off borough and was allocated to aid local police in crowd and traffic management during this event.

The day was fantastic, bright sunshine from the early hours and during the event clearly shows now on my sunburnt face! Mind you I was wearing my heavy met vest and lovely yellow reflective jacket meant that I too probably sweated as much as the runners! But I know my feet will hurt less!

I was stationed not far form the half mile mark and the crowd was in good nature and cheering on there respective family and friends along.

Then it all went horribly wrong. First even though the road closures are well advertised and local residents well informed regarding roads and times, yet time and time again I had to deal with rude, obnoxious and plain ignorant people in there cars who tired to bully and intimate me in trying to pass trough not only past road cordons but actually wanting to cross the marathon route.

It got so bad at one point I ended up arresting one male under Section 25 for causing an unlawful obstruction of the highway. I was not impressed by this individual who had driven his car forward into our police bollards and was revving his car engine and shouting loudly to “ get out of the way I’m coming thru you cant stop me.”

Well I did. This male’s action not only put me in danger of injury but also put the health and safety of marathon runners in danger. After his arrest the handy “snatch Squad ! “ read Territorial support group arrived to convey this male to a local police station and I was back to the marathon after 30 mins booking him in and making my notes of his arrest after handing him over to that stations Case progression unit.

Then half an hour after arriving back on my post, one of the members of public close to me passed out with which I though was due to the heat! Sadly not. He was having a cardiac arrest. I must admit CPR is bloody exhausting, and you only note the tiredness when the ambulance arrived.

I went with him to the A&E department, and started to write my notes, more out of fear that the male would pass away and these notes would be valuable to any coroner’s court that may follow. Three hours after arriving at the hospital I was relived to be informed that the male was now comfortable and was likely to get through the incident. The A&E consultant who over looked the case, even stated that he would be sending a letter to my inspector , and the family of the male that my administration of CPR at the scene increased the likelihood of him living. Nice and as head spinning as that sounds.

All I did was my job and was the reason I joined.

4 comments:

Bystander said...

Excellent. That's the job you do, isn't it? Hours and days of tedium, and suddenly you are right at the sharp end of something that decides whether a man lives or dies.

Well done.

thinblueline said...

Thanks,
Update regarding the Arrested MALE
As I suspected would be the case he was released 4 hours after the end of the marathon, no further action been taken by police on the matter.
however I have been informed that the males motorvechile had been removed by the good old council and now awaits its pick up at the local pound with removal fees due. Bless.

Anonymous said...

Dont wanna be a law-pervert, but I thought you had to have an original offence that has happened before you can use section 25.
i.e. s35(1) - Road Traffic Act 1988 - Failing To Conform With The Indication Given By A Constable Engaged In The Regulation Of Traffic...

Just wondered what you booked him for. Congrats on saving the mans life. Did he say anything to you when he woke up?

thinblueline said...

Yes. As you stated is correct.

The usual procedure for prosecution of non-arrestable offences is by way of a summons to appear before magistrates. But where the police reasonably suspect you of committing or having committed a non-arrestable offence, then they may arrest you if they believe that the service of a summons in impractical because any one of the general arrest conditions under Section 25 of PACE is satisfied.

However since you allready commit an offence if, without lawful authority or excuse, you wilfully obstruct the free passage of the highway,and that the male refused his details in order to be reported for that offence - Hence section 25 on both accounts / The obstrucion and not providing particulars for summons.
or even as far as Section 89(2) makes it an offence to resist or wilfully obstruct a constable in the execution of his duty, since i was acting to protect the safety of the public and to prevent a breach of the peace also to arrest to prevent him from doing causing physical injury to myself or the runners . Even then prevention of a breach of the peace was evident enough to arrest.

I think what I am trying to say there is a plethora of methods to apply in this instance.

---
I havent spoken to the gentleman in any form since the incident,
I think I prefer it that way, as i think stuff like that might fuck with my mind :)

Investigations - 183 | Crimes Solved- 85 | No Crime - 47
% Detection rate - 46.4 % (Counting year April 08 )


Investigations - 129 | Crimes Solved- 53 | No Crime - 36
% Detection rate - 49.3 % (Counting year April 07 )