Off-duty student PC saves baby with first aid

A student police officer has been praised for performing lifesaving first aid on an eight-month-old baby.

Paulo Abreu joined Dorset Police as a student officer in January and is currently undertaking classroom-based learning, which has included detailed first aid training.

On 12 March, he went to Kings Park Leisure Centre, in Bournemouth, while on a break from work but saw the baby girl gagging on a piece of plastic wrapper in her mouth.

He identified himself to the girl's mother and dislodged it with a series of back slaps. The baby was taken to hospital and Abreu was told she was OK later that day.

Abreu, who first joined the force as a special constable in 2021, said: "I was taught first aid when I was a special constable but had completed my two-day police officer first aid training course the previous week when this incident happened.

"I remember worrying at the time that I would not be able to perform first aid on a child if it were ever needed but the training we received was so good that it just kicked in and I didn't even have to think about what to do."

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Callaghan said: "I am always excited to meet our new student officers when they arrive and learn about the skills and experience they can bring to Dorset.

"They all undergo rigorous training, including in first aid, and I was so proud to hear of PC Abreu's actions on this day in performing lifesaving first aid on this young baby. What he was able to do on that day is testament to the outstanding first aid training delivered by our trainers."

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