A Dyfed Powys Police Federation member who saved a woman and a dog stuck 20 feet down a reservoir dam has been nominated for the National Police Bravery Awards 2024.

Rhodri Jones, a police officer at Dyfed Powys Constabulary since 2017, has received the nod after rescuing the woman from a precarious sluiceway, who herself had retrieved her dog from an outcrop along the face of the Caban Coch Dam in the Elan Valley.

 

Rhodri Jones, a police officer at Dyfed Powys Constabulary since 2017.

 

On the morning of 19 August, last year, Rhodri was dispatched to the scene after a distressed caller reported to 999 that his two Golden Retrievers had fallen over the edge of the reservoir, alongside colleague PC Peter Evans.

While one dog appeared to be deceased, the other was stranded on the outcrop, alive but badly injured. This prompted the caller’s partner to jump down onto the nearby sluice, who sustained significant face and arm injuries from the descent before managing to get a hold of the terrified dog.

Mountain Rescue

“It was the usual low-key start of a Sunday morning before the call,” said Rhodri. “I don’t think the seriousness of the situation was understood at first, because the initial direction was to reassure the caller and victims and wait for Mountain Rescue.”

When it was made clear the arrival of this assistance was 45 minutes away, Rhodri and Peter contacted the fire service in an effort to get a rescue attempt onto the scene and underway sooner.

Even the wait for the latter proved too long for the increasingly concerned cops, who knew the woman and her dog were fighting a losing battle against the prospect of an approximate 92-foot drop.

Rhodri, 45, continued: “It got to a point where we knew we couldn’t just wait it out anymore. Not only were the victims stuck on a small platform, without any room for manoeuvre, they were each struggling with their injuries.”

Throwline

The officers decided to act by forcing open the door to an overflow chamber, where Rhodri lowered himself down onto the chamber’s gantry and made a leap onto the edge of the sluice, which was extremely slippery due to recent rainfall. The constable then belly-crawled along the sluiceway until he could reach the victims with a throwline, pulling the pair to a safer position.

“It was a team effort between Pete and me. He remained on the gantry handling one end of the throwline we used, while I made the decision to drop down from the gantry to the sluice.

“Not that we had a big discussion about it – we just acted as quickly and decisively as possible.”

 

 

Rhodri then waited roughly 20 minutes for the fire service to assist with extracting the victims from the position he had secured them in within the chamber. The woman is making a good recovery from her injuries, including a broken arm, while the dog was taken to the closest veterinarian for treatment.

PC Jones, who has been a police officer for 22 years, added that without having been in direct contact with each other, the woman had passed on her immense gratitude for his courageous efforts.

“I have been told she is very thankful for all the help she received. A few colleagues have also acknowledged to me how challenging the situation was and how well I acted, which I really appreciate.”

Praise from fellow officers became more formal in the shape of a Superintendent commendation before an invitation to the National Bravery Awards ceremony in London came through earlier this year. Rhodri will attend the ceremony, to be held in July, with his wife, Ira.

Life-saving actions

“I was so pleased when I found out I was nominated. There’s so much good work done by police officers everywhere – you can’t recognise everyone, so I’m just thrilled to be one of the few that have been,” he said.

Dyfed Powys Police Federation chair Gareth Jones has expressed his admiration for the constable’s life-saving actions.

“Rhodri’s nomination is fully deserved. The way he acted with calmness, yet determination, in circumstances which must have been unbearably distressing for the victims is a true measure of bravery.

“He has represented the Federation and the police force impeccably and we wish him our best for the national awards ceremony. Whatever happens, though, we already could not be prouder of him,” said Gareth.

This year's National Police Bravery Awards, which are organised by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW), will be taking place on 11 July in London.

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