A police officer who got his job back after he was sacked for seeing his mistress on duty has been commended for his bravery after he helped stop a woman jumping to her death.
On Wednesday night PC Shaun Jenkins, from Caerphilly, was commended with a Chief Constable’s Award for his bravery in helping save the life of a suicidal woman who was threatening to to jump off a flyover.
The police officer had lost his job in October 2011 for gross misconduct after it was alleged he drove to the home of a married woman and had sex with her while his police partner waited 40 minutes outside in the patrol car.
PC Jenkins was originally given a final written warning for the incident in November 2010 but his mistress’ husband complained to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
After a review, PC Jenkins was fired. He was reinstated in May last year though after a successful appeal to the Independent Police Tribunal.
PC Jenkins was stopped by a member of the public in July 2011 with reports that a woman had climbed over a 5ft safety barrier on Bargoed bypass and was going to jump 100ft onto the railway track below.
A spokesman for Gwent Police said: “PC Jenkins rushed to scene and began talking with the woman.
“He was joined by a paramedic and between them they each took hold of one of her arms to prevent her from jumping.”
PC Jenkins had to balance on a plastic box stretching out to hold the woman by her arm. He did so for 75 minutes, while the woman struggled to get free, until the fire service managed to bring her to safety.
The spokesman added: “Both PC Jenkins and the paramedic, despite the behaviour of the woman and the difficulties of holding onto her, kept reassuring and building a rapport with her until the fire service were able to bring her to safety.”
The incident happened eight months after the original complaint and three months before he was sacked aged 35.
It is the third commendation PC Jenkins has received, In 2006 he stopped a suicidal man jumping into a river from a bridge and in 2004 he was praised for his role in bringing offenders to justice after a large brawl in Ystrad Mynach.
PC Jenkins missed out on an award for the Bargoed incident at last year’s ceremony because he was not an employee of the force at the time, according to a Gwent Police spokesman.
A disciplinary panel had originally given him a final warning, but the force was ordered to look at the case again by the IPCC after the woman’s husband complained of the “lenient” punishment. In October 2011, PC Jenkins was dismissed for gross misconduct but after an appeal was reinstated in May last year.
The police spokesman added: “As far as Gwent Police is concerned the disciplinary issue relating to PC Jenkins was resolved when the independent police appeals tribunal made its decision.
“This issue has nothing to do with the undoubted bravery and dedication he showed in helping to save a person’s life in 2011. It’s these actions that are being recognised at this awards ceremony.”
It is no different to those that went off on a jolly whilst on shift. Unless he has a history of going AWOL then sacking would seem a little harsh. Though I can understand the husbands complaint he has perhaps only enhanced this mans reputation amongst colleagues. Which I would suspect is not the outcome he would have hoped for.
Dereliction of duty is dereliction of duty in the role of a Police Officer serving the public.
The action of this officer was a very serious misconduct issue, it was an honesty issue, and it was a failure to do his duty to the general public.
He may well be a `brave` person when the chips are down, but should his misconduct be forgotten? No it should not. It could be said of course that his action are not out of the ordinary amongst Caerphilly Policemen, but, I think his colleagues would not agree.