Response Policing Week of Action 2024 round-up

Arresting a man who tried to rob a grandmother, tracing a domestic abuser and saving people in life-threatening mental health crisis are just some examples of the work delivered by your response police officers.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council Response Policing Week of Action took place between 24 and 30 June as UK police forces celebrated and highlighted the work of response officers.

Response officers work with bravery, compassion and resilience across countless scenarios to serve the public and are on shift 24/7, 365 days a year. They can be the first contact the public has with their police service and often in moments of crisis.

Last month, Deputy Chief Constable Jane Connors met with response teams across the country to discuss the amazing work they do and to hear first-hand about their vital contribution to policing.

DCC Connors, executive lead for Local Policing, said: “The response policing week of action gives everyone an opportunity to reflect and highlight the amazing and challenging work our response police officers do every day.

“Their frontline role of responding to emergency calls whenever the public need us – often in a time of crisis and ongoing danger – takes courage and professionalism. It is one of the most challenging and relentless roles in policing and it is right that we take time to recognise them.

“The Chief Constable has been clear that we must focus on strengthening and modernising our frontline so our people are best equipped to prevent crime and target those who blight our communities.

“I would like to thank all of our response officers for their continued professionalism, bravery and dedication to their duties.”

Throughout the week of action, a series of free web sessions were held providing a range of opportunities to enhance professional development, network with colleagues, share good practice and gain understanding of how to maintain physical and mental wellbeing.

Examples from the Week of Action include:

Man arrested who tried to rob elderly woman
A 74-year-old grandmother was walking her grandchild to school in the Falkirk area when a man allegedly grabbed her handbag and attempted to violently rob her. A member of the public witnessed the incident and phoned police. Officers responded immediately and worked with the victim and public at the scene to quickly gather information. The man was arrested nearby and held in custody to appear at court.

Man inappropriately approached school girl in South Lanarkshire
A call was received about a man making inappropriate sexual remarks to a school girl outside a supermarket. Response officers attended and managed to trace the suspect’s vehicle. He was found in possession of a knife. As part of their work to create a package of evidence, the officers then carried out an extensive CCTV trawl to get sufficient evidence for a number of charges. The comprehensive and persistent enquiry by those response officers resulted in the man being arrested and charged.

Man with a brick threatening people in Stirling
Police received an emergency call about a man in the city centre threatening to attack people with a brick. Response officers attended, gained information from members of the public and worked in partnership with Stirling Council CCTV to quickly trace the man nearby. The officers continued their enquiries and discovered he had potentially been involved in the supply of drugs throughout the city centre, targeting young and vulnerable people. Further investigation led them to work with licensed premises where they identified the man was also potentially involved in recent robberies impacting local businesses. He was arrested and charged.

Domestic abuser in Perth
A call was received about a man allegedly causing a disturbance trying to get into a property, despite conditions prohibiting the man from contacting or approaching the woman inside. Response officers attended and following good persistent police work to investigate where he might have moved to, they found him at an address nearby. The man was arrested and held in police custody to appear at court.

Class A drug dealer and car thief arrested, Dalkeith
Police Scotland worked in partnership with West Midlands Police after shared information revealed a drug dealer, who was wanted on warrant, was potentially in Dalkeith. Following a swift investigation and joint working to establish where exactly the man would be, response officers traced and arrested him. He was held in police custody and transferred to West Midlands to appear at court.

Mental health crisis
A man was on the Erskine Bridge suffering from a life-threatening mental health crisis and wanted to complete suicide. Despite having no knowledge of the background or man’s history, response officers at the scene quickly engaged with the man and showed remarkable communication skills. For several hours, a police constable maintained a steady and empathetic conversation with the distressed man. Through perseverance and emotional awareness, the response officer convinced the man to step away from the bridge barrier and accept the help from healthcare professionals that he desperately needed.