Metropolitan Police officers have been awarded by The Royal Humane Society for their acts of bravery, saving lives of adults and children.
The Royal Humane Society is a charity that grants awards for acts of bravery in the saving of human life, those who put their own lives at risk to save or attempt to save someone else.
Although last year The Royal Humane Society was unable to hold their Annual General Court or medal ceremonies where awardees would have been recognised in public.
The Society’s Awards Committee made 842 awards to citizens who saved a total of 349 lives.
The awards granted for acts of bravery include, bronze silver, and gold medals. As well as Testimonials on Vellum or Parchment.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick presented PC Allan Parker (pictured) with the Royal Humane Society’s Police Medal for 2019; he previously received a Silver Medal for his acts of bravery when saving a suicidal teenage.
Additionally, The Commissioner presented DC Natasha Holing with her Bronze Medal when she and her colleagues saved several families from a burning building.
Two more Metropolitan Police Service officers Sgt Darren Laurie and PC Keith Malda, received a second award, Bronze Clasp, which according to the Society is a “very rare decoration”.
They were presented their award for their bravery at both the London Bridge/Borough Market and the Westminster Bridge terror attacks.
Both officers also received the Society’s Police Medal award, and a Bronze Medal.
For their actions as first responders to the Westminster Bridge terror attack on March 22nd 2017, the following Met officers received the Royal Humane Society’s Bronze Medal for bravery and saving lives:
PC Dave Bicker
PC Dean Cook
PC Simon Helm
Insp Kevin Horn
PC Jess Langford
PC Maria Rasooli
PC Brian Stew
For their actions as first responders to the Borough Market terror attack on June 3rd 2017, the following Met officers received the Royal Humane Society’s Bronze Medal for bravery and saving lives:
PC Harry Andrews
Sgt Alex Baldwin
Special Constable Karim Gouhar
PC James Lawrence
PC Paul Mitchel
Supt Roy Smith
Sgt James Southgate
Keith said: “It is a shock and an incredible honour to be awarded the Royal Humane Society’s Police Medal.
“Having looked at the past recipients of this medal and read about what they had done to receive their medals, I am humbled to join their ranks.
“I will never forget the heroic acts that I witnessed my colleagues in the Police and London Ambulance Service perform on the day of 22nd March 2017 and the night of 3rd June 2017.
“I was not alone at Westminster or at Borough Market. I was surrounded by heroes.
“I accept this medal on behalf of all of those heroes that were there on those days, and the people that continue to look after them today.
“This is our medal, and we are in tremendous company.”
