Daring river recovery
JCF salutes drowned cop, mechanic-turned-hero 14 years after tragedy
Published:Sunday | December 1, 2024 | 12:08 AMCorey Robinson - Senior Staff Reporter
After 14 years, Andrew Richards, the man who pulled a drowned policeman from the Rio Cobre after he fell in while chasing gunmen along the sippery river bank in Gordon Pen, St Catherine, was honoured by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) last Thursday.
Corporal Vincent Bent and another colleague fell into the river during a pre-dawn gunfight with thugs from the community in September 2010. Residents rescued the colleague shortly after, but hours of searching by professional divers failed to locate Bent.
By 6:30 p.m., the divers had called off their efforts. That’s when Richards, driven by what he described as a divine calling, took action.
A certified mechanic and skilled swimmer, Richards jumped into the murky river. Despite the doubts of the professionals, within minutes, he recovered Bent’s body along with a Glock pistol.
The following day, Richards and another resident, Peter Clifford, re-entered the river and recovered Bent’s missing M-16 rifle.
Their efforts brought closure to Bent’s family and secured critical evidence.
Fast-forward to last Thursday’s JCF Honours and Awards Ceremony for Long Service and Good Conduct, where Richards was celebrated as a man of valour.
Richards, who now resides in England, travelled to Jamaica with his family for the event. He expressed gratitude for the commemorative plaque despite its bittersweet nature.
He recalled how he had just finished making repairs on a transmission when he went to a section of the river where the police had been searching. He said he questioned officers about what had transpired and, for the most part, they remained sombre and tight-lipped.
But that’s when the “spirit manifested in me and I went in”, he said, noting that he spent much of his childhood swimming in the area.
“I can’t say it was my will because that happened early in the morning and they had been searching the whole river all day. So that must have been the vision of the Most High,” he affirmed. “So I kept on going down and down in the water, where the Most High was leading me, I couldn’t see anything. Then I found him.
“I shouted that I found him three times, but no one believed me. It was only when I pulled his foot out of the water that everyone believed, and one female officer on the river bank fainted to the ground,” he said, his proud wife and their children looking on.
Clifford also reflected on the pride he felt in contributing to the recovery effort. He explained how the next morning, he, too, ventured into the murky water and recovered the missing assault rifle and magazines. He was also lauded with a commemorative plaque on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Bent’s widow, Maxine, and his four children were also presented with a plaque in his honour for his service. They, too, sang the praises of both Richards and Clifford for their valiant efforts.
The family spoke of the harrowing wait they endured on the riverbank and expressed gratitude to Richards and Clifford for their heroic actions.
“I just feel good to know that his efforts are remembered. It is a bittersweet moment. It happened when I was 16, and he died a day after my little sister turned one. So it is like every time we celebrate her birthday, we remember that he died the day after. Time doesn’t heal wounds, but it allows you to cope a little better,” shared the Bents’ daughter, Julie-Anne.
The Long Service Awards is the JCF’s premier recognition event, celebrating individuals who embody the values and vision of the force. Some 153 members of the JCF were awarded on Thursday.
“These men and woman have not only served; they have shaped the legacy of the Jamaica Constabulary Force. For years, they have been the backbone of our organisation, guardians of our values, and custodians of the standards of policing that we hold dear,” Police Commissioner Dr Kevin Blake said as he addressed the ceremony.
“You, by virtue of the time you’ve given to this organisation, have lived through the evolution of policing in Jamaica, and now, you stand as pillars of the JCF’s future, one that is defined by three core pillars of transformation: people, quality, and technology.”