Man praises off-duty South Yorkshire special constable for saving his life

Jacob France, who works as a police call handler and special constable, was on a day off when he spotted a man in distress and looking over a motorway bridge.

The 22-year-old Rotherham man pulled over in his car and approached him, who said that he had an argument and wanted to harm himself.

The off-duty officer spent the next 30 minutes talking to the man, who left the bridge ‘calmer’ and planning to stay with his parents.

The pair exchanged phone numbers, and Jacob later received a message from the man, which read; “I just wanted to say how grateful I am of you stopping on that bridge the other night and talking to me when no one else would.

“There needs to be more people like you in this world.”

Later checks by officers found the man to be safe, well, staying at his parents and already seeking appropriate medical support. Superintendent Bob Chapman, head of force communications said: “Jacob demonstrated compassion towards a clearly vulnerable person. It is no exaggeration to say that his timely intervention stopped this man from coming to any further harm.

“It reflects on Jacob as an individual, but also as a fantastic representative of South Yorkshire Police. I am very proud of his actions that night.”

Jacob was presented with a police certificate thanking him for going above and beyond the call of duty.