Hero Surrey officer at Downing Street for Bravery Awards

13 July 2018

Heroic Surrey officer Temporary Sergeant James Lampard has attended a reception at 10 Downing Street as part of his nomination for the National Police Bravery Awards.

He met Policing Minister Nick Hurd at the event and attended the awards ceremony in central London later that evening.

Temp Sgt Lampard said: “I was very proud to be there for myself and for the force, it’s been a very humbling experience.”

He was nominated for the award after he stopped a man from throwing himself from a tall building in Epsom.

He had been called out to the Ashley Centre in June last year following reports that members of the public had seen a man up there.

Whilst on route the pair received more information from Met Police colleagues who said they had received a call about a man taking his partner’s car with the intention of driving to Epsom to kill himself.

On arrival, Temp Sgt Lampard could see the man perched on the top floor on the wrong side of the barriers.

At first, he was very reluctant to talk but eventually Temp Sgt Lampard managed to get some rapport going, and it was clear that the man was intent on ending his life.

The relationship Temp Sgt Lampard built with the man in such a short space of time was such that he managed to get close enough to grab him and gently pull him back from the precipice.

It was an incredibly brave act – given the man’s build and size he would have surely pulled Temp Sgt Lampard with him over the edge if he had decided to jump.

Temp Sgt Lampard’s skill and professionalism were noted by the force control room who stood down the trained negotiator on hand to help because they could see what a good job he was doing.

Surrey Police Federation Chair Melanie Warnes said she was very proud of him.

"This rescue required a great deal of patience and determination and it speaks volumes that the trained negotiator was stood down because Temp Sgt Lampard was doing such a wonderful job.

"He saved the man's life and is very deserving of the nomination."

Overall winners at the 2018 Police Bravery Awards were Metropolitan PCs Charlie Guenigault, who received horrific injuries after being attacked by terrorists at London Bridge, and PC Keith Palmer who was posthumously awarded after he was tragically killed during last year’s terror attack on Westminster Bridge.