Officers reflect after saving cyclist's life, stating that "Every single one of us would have done the same"

"I heard a scream, and we immediately knew something serious had happened. What I wasn't expecting was for her to be awake and talking, despite her injuries." - Inspector Steph Day?

Two officers have been praised for their heroism after coming to the aid of a woman trapped under a lorry

At the time of the incident, Inspectors Steph Day and Patrick Allen were Tactical Firearms Commanders, their day-to-day responsibility was to assess and run any spontaneous or developing firearms incidents across the capital. So when faced with a woman in need of critical medical attention, they remained calm, using their specialist skills to think on their feet and save her life.??

"I was just really pleased that we were in the right place at the right time. As soon as I saw her injuries, it was obvious that they were potentially catastrophic, but I knew that between us, we would be able to make a difference. (Steph)

"I was really conscious that we were very close to the Royal London Hospital and that if we could get her the right care quickly, then hopefully she would survive her injuries". (Steph)

"It became second nature but despite our experience and expertise, there were moments where I was holding her hand and speaking to her and I realised how hurt she really was. (Patrick)

I have been to visit her and she is recovering well. Both her and her husband have the most positive attitude of anyone I have ever met! She is miraculously walking again and is looking at completing a mountain hike across Iceland which is inspirational. She is amazing! (Patrick)

Since the incident, both Steph and Patrick have progressed to other roles. Steph now works within Residential Protection in the Met's Royalty and Specialist Protection team, and Patrick is now managing an Emergency Response Team in Hackney. Despite working in different teams, the duo remain close friends.

"We met in 2022 when we worked together on the Firearms Command. We have an excellent working relationship and have become great friends. (Patrick)

"Steph is a lovely funny person who made work a joy, and I hope I can work with her again!

"We always had a great time working together and I would love to work with Patrick again!? Patrick has an amazing sense of humour, and despite working in some of the most stressful times in my career within the Firearms Command, sometimes managing high risk and complex operations, we always managed to keep each other smiling." (Patrick)

The experiences you witness as a police officer stay with you throughout your entire career. While you may transition into different roles that leave an impact, they often don't demand the full breadth of your skills.

In this case, Steph and Patrick were not in a frontline role but when the opportunity came about where their skills were needed, it was second nature and as a result, they saved a woman's life.

"There are thousands of officers working on the front line of policing in London and across the country, who do exactly this type of thing every single day and they deserve all the thanks. We were just in the right place at the right time - every single one of us would have done the same." (Steph)?