Police Constable Sabrina Schwarz, an officer on Police Now’s National Graduate Leadership Programme, has received a commendation for rescuing a missing person in Epsom, alongside her colleagues PC Beesley and PD Reno from the Surrey Police Dogs Unit.

Chief Constable Gavin Stephens QPM awarded the commendations at the Chief’s Commendation Ceremony this week (30th November), at Loseley Park in Guildford.

PC Schwarz – a neighbourhood officer on the Safer Neighbourhoods Team – was on patrol in Epsom in February of this year, when a report came in over the radio about a vulnerable missing person.

PC Schwarz searched the local railway station following intelligence before attending the local park to continue the search. Here she met up with her colleague PC Beesley and police dog PD Reno, who had picked up a track where the individual was last seen 30 minutes prior.

PC Schwarz and PC Beesley searched the park with PD Reno, working in the dark with limited lighting from nearby streetlights and their torches. Led by PD Reno, they tracked onto the common, through thick woodland, out onto a main road, before heading back into the woods where they located the missing person.

The individual was semi-unconscious and PC Schwarz immediately put him in the recovery position, monitored his condition and provided support whilst waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

PC Schwarz said: “It was quite a challenging search; PD Reno moved very quickly through the mud and through the dark, and we had to get through a thick line of bushes to reach the individual.

“We stayed with him and did all we could to keep him comfortable and safe until the ambulance arrived, and myself and PC Humphreys – another Police Now officer on the National Graduate Leadership Programme – rode with him to the hospital to carry out welfare checks. 

“It was definitely a team effort and I’m so grateful to my colleagues who all helped with the search that night. Collectively we saved a life.

“Of course, it’s not about receiving commendations, it’s about protecting our community and the individuals within it – nevertheless, it’s really lovely to be recognised alongside other amazing officers (and dogs) within force.”