THREE West Devon police officers and a former Tavistock College student recently received prestigious awards for their heroic actions. In total, 38 awards for acting in bravery, public spirited actions, or outstanding performance were presented to police officers, special constables and members of the public. Twenty-two-year old Simon Callender, and police officers Heidi Voaden and Stephen Hall received their awards at the Chief Constable's Award Ceremony for the Devon area. Okehampton PC David Hoar was presented with a chief constable's commendation with star at the ceremony. Simon, who lives at Bere Alston, was awarded the chief superintendent's good citizenship award after an incident which took place on the evening of Thursday, October 27, 2005. He was on duty as the assistant manager at the former McDonalds Restaurant, in Tavistock, when a drunken customer targeted a group of Chinese students by making racist comments and gestures. Simon intervened and requested the man leave the restaurant immediately. The man left, making threatening gestures towards the group, before returning and continuing with his remarks. Simon then escorted the man from the premises and contacted the police, who attended and arrested the man. He was later convicted at court of a racially aggravated public order offence. Simon, who received the award for his gallant and public-spirited actions, said: 'I did what I thought was right. The children were as young as eight years old — I was concerned about their safety.' Tavistock police constables Heidi Voaden and Stephen Hall each received the Chief Superintendent's Commendation for their courage in a life-threatening situation, and for the preservation of life. The two PCs were called to a report of a youth being violent towards his mother and sister around 7pm on March 9, 2007. The youth, who had mental health problems, was also causing criminal damage to the family home. On arrival, the officers attempted to calm him but met a hostile reaction and items being thrown down the stairs. The youth then shut himself in his bedroom, which he set on fire. Further attempts to reason with him were ignored and the officers, fearing for the youth's safety and personal risk to themselves, attempted to bring him to safety as the house filled with thick black smoke. Despite the youth being unco-operative, the officers were able to escort him from the building. Shortly after leaving the property, there were a series of explosions from within. The youth continued to resist arrest but was safely taken into custody. PC Hoar was presented with the award, along with his former colleague PC Gary Hurst, for a river rescue at Bideford on Monday, January 15, 2007. When a CCTV operator saw a woman, who was sitting on the quayside at Bideford, throw herself off the quay in to the fast flowing river Torridge some 15ft below, PC Hurst and PC Hoar were quickly on the scene. On arrival they saw the woman floating on her back in the water. PC Hoar without consideration for his own safety, entered the river and reached the woman. PC Hurst quickly joined PC Hoar in the river. The officers, while treading water, kept the woman's head above the water but did lose grip on a number of occasions. At this point the woman was breathing but was unconscious. Other officers located life buoys and once they were in place the police guided the woman to a vertical ladder at the quayside. After having spent ten minutes in the water she was brought out and treated by waiting paramedics. She was then transported to hospital where she made a full recovery. Devon police commander chief superintendent, Jo Tennant, said the event was a 'perfect' opportunity to recognise dedication to duty, personal acts of courage and 'outstanding' levels of community spirit and commitment.
