why do people continue to say TWO PCSO's were at the pond side when time and time again it is reported one went to help direct other services to the spot
no one knows how they will react in an emergency
why has someone not asked why they were the first on the scene if they were on bikes why did police officers not get there first??

David HOLMES, BRISTOL, BRISTOL

These guys training manuals must be put online for our inspection. Then we can decide if they were to blame or our Health and Safety laws.

Steve, Cirencester, UK

Just another example of an agency of the British state, failing to do its job.

Let's see in the past ten days we have had a whole trail of them:

The Bank of England and the FSA dealing with mortgage market problem.
The Cambridgeshire police unable to budget properly or to think creatively in the use of existing resources.
Social Service departments whingeing about the tightening of budgets in the next spending review.
Employment tribunals unable to cope with the volume of equal-pay cases.

And where are our MPs, behaving like 17th Century squires, not back until the harvest is in.

OneFootInTheGraveMeldrew, London, UK

As a fire officer of 30 years service, this tragic event again points out that society, government and the press must decide what it wants from its emergency services. Current health and safety legislation, which applies to all of the emergency services, virtually prohibits risks to be taken by its officers. In the fire and rescue service, only specially trained and equipped teams are allowed to enter water to attempt rescues.
Often these teams are many minutes, 20 +, away from the scenes of these events, therefore the chance of saving lives is almost non existant! The majority of serving officers would take some personal risk to save a life but risk being disciplined or even prosecuted by the HSE, if they fail to follow a laid down procedure and to wait for a specialist team. It is totally wrong to blame these PCSO's as they were following procedure, if anyone is to blame its the Government / HSE for stopping emergency workers doing their jobs and saving lives!

JB, South East, England

In response to the notion that there was no point in attempting an immediate search for Jordan as he was by that time certainly dead is erroneous. There are cases on record of victims of near drowning (particularly children) being revived after submersions (under ice) of up to 40 mins. The effect of the body's reflexual constriction of the airway following sudden cold water immersion is effectively to protect the lungs from inhalation of water and greatly enhances their prospect of surviving when recovered. It is ALWAYS worth effecting the speediest recovery possible, bankside CPR and pulmonry support will preserve life, I understand that Jordan was recovered from the water alive after 10 mins. 4 mins without oxygen is generally the point at which irreversible damage is caused to the brain tissue but cold water immersion slows the metabolism and can extend that window considerably. They could possibly have saved Jordans life but they were certainly not responsible for his death.

Carter, Coventry, UK

Useless. Sack them all. Then invite those that can swim to apply to become real police officers. This CSO farce has gone on long enough!

Martin, Telfrd, UK

I was a supporter of PCSOs when they first appeared on our streets because they seemed to deter much petty crime.

But as time has gone on, the local youth know that they have no 'teeth' and now just run rings round them.

Worse than that, their judgement seems to be highly questionable - letting off three youths who I had seen trying to break into a building, for example, because "there was no sign of damage to the building and we can't act on hearsay".

Recently, having suffered more than 25 crimes of theft or vandalism since April, I was told by a (proper) police officer that he would have to get permission from his inspector to record a smashed down door, because the PCSOs had recorded so much criminal damage in the locality that the force was now well over its 'targets'.

So all in all I must agree with Paul Kelly of the Police Federation: the experiment has failed.

MarkS, Leeds,

Why was a 10 year old boy looking after a younger child, in such a dangerous place without an adult with them, in the first place? The parents should shoulder some of the blame here. But surely PSO's should have some life saving skills/be capable of swiming before passing out?

Juliet Bryce, Norwich, UK

I think what has been said is right, how can 2 human beings stand and watch a 10 year old boy drown. Police officers are not even trained in water rescue any more due to the amount of cuts imposed, but thats irrelevent any normal peron would go in to recuse a child. PCSO's are not worth the huge amount of money they are paid. I'm a police officer in london and the calibre of most of the PCSO's is a disgrace (not all but most). You ask all the officers in the country and i would say all would have gone in to rescue that child. How can you employ 400 pcso and reduce policing by 200 what good is that for reducing crime or in this case rescueing a poor child. Some serious questions need to be asked as to why this has happened because the police spokesmans comments ae pretty poor re why they never rescued the boy, they could have saved his life!!! I hope the 2 PCSO's are shamed and should resign!!!! But i hope this show's the govement ministers that cost cutting is costing lives!!!

Barry Langton, colchester, england

living in the same town as these so-called "support "officers makes me feel ashamed,how they could just stand and watch a boy drown in front of there eyes is absolutely beyond me,maybe if they had shown some "support "things may have turned out different.

js, wigan,

They probably had to carry out a risk assesment under health and safety regs and came to the conclusion it was not safe and were proved right.
You pay peanuts you get monkeys!

dachaidh, rhu, scotland

it is bordering on the criminal that these two failed human beings stood and watched a drowning child. the police can make all the excuses they want, but it is as simple as this, they did nothing. may someone be as callous to them one day in there hour of need.

graham slater, nottingham, uk

One can understand how the public would be concerned if trained officers are being cut and replaced with numbers of minimally-trained substitutes. I'm not sure it really made a difference in this case. If the community support officers could not see the boy when they arrived, it is hard to see how they could have gotten him out in time to save his life unless perhaps they were very good swimmers. It sounds as though they were not. Unless they arrived on the scene very quickly after the children fell in, it is doubtful they could have saved him even then--a person can't survive under water for more than a very few minutes. They probably decided, correctly, that the boy was beyond help and it would be irresponsible to risk their own lives in a futile gesture. It seems unfair in these circumstances to condemn them as cowards and worse.

D.L. Anderson, Crossett, AR/U.S.A.

The real disgrace here is seeing the senior police officer on national TV stating that, as policy, he does "not encourage" his officers to risk their lives in this kind of situation.

What happened to "serve and protect"? What use to us is this pseudo police force who are neither enabled or encouraged to risk their own lives to save others?

The boy had courage; he died saving his sister's life. What a shame that neither of the PSCOs had the courage to save his, and what far greater shame it is that they are defended in their failings by a senior police officer.

HA, Hampshire,

RIP Jordan you are a hero

i,m sure jordan wasn't trained in life saving, but he still saved hi sister

carolyn murphy, birkenhead mersesie, uk

would the chief officer have criticised the PCSO's if it had been his son that had drown. PCSO's are not the issue here its whether the person helped. In this case they didn't and its clear neglect of a civic duty - protection of life and limb....

Don Stewart, leatherhead, england

How can two adults stand by and watch a child drown. They have now got to live with themselves, knowing that they left a boy to drown, a boy who gave his life to save his sister. He unlike them wasn't afraid to jump in and help her. I'm glad I'm not in their nice shiny dry shoes. The boy deserves recognision recognition for this. The PCSOs deserve the order of the boot. Shame on you both

disgusted, Berkshire,

Poor child, a true hero, what a terrible tragedy and waste of a young life. Surely it would make more sense to recruit and train one police officer, with additional admin support, rather than two ineffectual PSCO's without initiative. Interested to know why one would choose to be a PSCO, rather than a fully fledged Police Officer in the first place.

Jenny, London, U.K.

I find this whole argument being PCOS or not or whether Children playing in dangerous places whilst parents did not know is not the point.

If you see a child drowning, what do you do? You ask anyone that and the normal response is to try to save them.

These two people should be ashame of themselves, its not lacking in training thats is wrong tthem it's lack of basic human spirit to help a drowning child.

Tang Shau Hung, Hong Kong, hong kong

What a depressing lack of initiative these two showed. Even with only two people you can form a human chain and start to search the edges of the pond, reaching out and down quite a long way. Just to stand there, knowing that a boy was in the water, but doing nothing about it, when every minute is precious - how feeble! That little boy showed more courage than those two 'trained' adults. Something is badly wrong with the training of PCSOs if they can think only of their own safety in a situation like this. Proper policing will always involve risk at some stage. They should have assessed the risk, but still done something.

Bridget, London,

After reading this, I racked my brain as to a suitable excuse for two adults, who were (community) police officers not risking their lives when they knew a child was in danger, and come up with nothing.

Training, safety lectures, political correctness, uniforms, superiors, sex, even uncertainty of the correct location or own ability; they all pale in comparison to the nightmare of a child drowning.

They have no excuse, none. They should have been in the water, searching with their hands at least as far as they could whilst standing (if they honestly couldn't swim), and screaming the childs name. Standing cross armed and watching is inexcusable.

My heart goes out to the parents.

Foo, Edinburgh,

No-one seems to have picked up on the fact that the parents allowed their two children - just 10 and 8 years old - to play unsupervised at what was known to be a very hazardous pit.
Whilst I of course feel for them and cannot being to imagine the pain of their loss, I cannot help but think that they are far more at fault here than anyone else.
Had the PCSOs not arrived by chance as they did, the blame would surely lie directly with the parents.

JR, london,

Health and Safety gone mad - rules and regulations don't save lives. Common sense and human kindness do. There is no defence for those two PCS0s. What is the world coming to. BL, Somerset.

Barbara Lawrence, Bridgwater, Somerset

No amount of sympathy can ease the pain of Jordons grieving family, he died a hero and the inquest has rightly heard the evidence and reached a verdict. We all feel for the tragic loss.
However I am ashamed that a senior Police Federation official has used this in an utterly cheap and scandalous way to raise his point towards the government to rebuke Police Community Support Officers. We see more of them than Police Officers.
Whatever the reason those PCSO's did not enter the water is a matter for them and their force to deal with.
He should hang his head in shame for if he was still at rank and file he would find himself carpeted for his innappropriate comments towards colleagues.
Jordons parents may need to blame someone and yes, it may be convenient to blame the PCSO's with the backing of all and sundry however just as any parent knows or should know, we've been warned about knowing where and what our children are doing, fundamentally keeping them out of harms way.
SC Tyneside

Shaun Connolly, South Tyneside, UK

Ludicrous. As the poor boy's father said anyone walking past would have jumped in or tried to help in some way. This i fear exposes the inadequacies of some people recruited as PCSO's who otherwise have played a large role in reducing crime through a more visible police presence.

Joe, Bristol,

I'll lay odds that the PCOS simply do not see their positions as anything other than an income. They lack any caring or commitment to anything other than their own bottom line.

This entire situation is disgusting.

Mary, Grand Rapids, MI US

The rule of First Aid is to not put your own life in danger... the PSCO's can not and should not be expected to throw themselves into any situation irregardless of their own safety.

Too many people expect everyone to be a hero, that is not the case. The average human is exactly that - average. Heros are the exception but we have this pathetic expectation for them to be everywhere where they are needed.

David, London, UK

Whatever the rights or wrongs of the PCSO inaction, the main criticism must be laid at the door of the parents who seemingly were quite happy to allow 5 of their young children, aged beween 6 and 10 to go playing at a lake even the stepfather described as "very dangerous".
Parents who take such ridiculous risks, just as the McCanns did, should bear the brunt of the blame, putting other lives in danger as well as their own kids.

Joan Berry, Camberley, UK

A police spokesman, an Assistant Chief Constable, says the PCSOs were right not to jump in to help this boy as under Health & Safety legislation the police management have a duty of care to PCSOs & police officers & as such support any officer for not jumping into water. Clap trap He then goes on to say that the PCSOs didn’t see or know where boy went in (even though the boy went in to help his sister who must have been flapping around). But people were at the scene so knew where the boy went in. A police sergeant who later arrived jumped in immediately, as did members of the public. PCSOs cannot be justified just to have them show a presence, especially at £16-22000 pa. What would they do if they came across a mugging, bearing in mind this health & safety excuse would they just stand by waiting for a member of the public or a police officer to arrive & step in. Any responsible person would & should step in. Police senior officers have lost the plot & are defending the indefensible

Lynda Plum, London, england

i agree totaly with the idea of getting rid of the PCOS's. If they are not trained to deal with emergencies why send them in the first place!?

I know if i was walking alomd a road and saw a a boy drowning and knew i was a confident swimmer there is no doubt i would jump in and save him.

Get rid of these useless PCOS's it could help save lives!!!!

Rosalyn, London, England

Talking about two 'police officers' not trying to rescue the boy misses the point. Any two adults would have done more. It is the fact that they were employed by the police which prevented them form doing more. To do so would have broken their own employment conditions.

The real blame here lies with the Health and Safety Executive and the legislation which has made weaklings of us all. This has happened before, when an off duty fireman was criticised for rescuing someone in danger because by so doing he put himself in danger. I can imagine someone being allowed to die where a rescuer could have saved him by using a ladder but lacked 'ladder training', whatever that might be.

Because managers, including senior police officers, can now face criminal prosecution if they break health and safety rules they are bound to tell their employees not to do anything which might be dangerous unless they have already been 'trained'.

Imagine the HSE getting control over the armed forces!

Peter Ryder, Middlewich,

It seems from the posts so far that the most vehement critics of the PCSO's actions are people who havve not bothered to read and understand the GMP statement . The boy was not visible when they arrived and was in all probability dead by then anyway. I am a serving police constable in another force, I was trained in basic water rescue techniques at training school 8 years ago but I would not describe mysef as a strong swimmer. Had I been in the same position I would not have gone blindly into the black cold water, thrashing about in the rather vague hope that might just find a dead body. Had I got there while he was still visible however I would certainly have done so, I would have considered this an acceptable risk in the circumstances with a good chance of saving a life. We don't know if either of the PCSO's could even swim so criticism of them is somewhat unfair in the circumstances. The Federation's comments were disgusting however.

Paul M, Hull,

"Basic rescue techniques" so under water rescue is "basic", i have some scuba training and "basic" water rescue from being in the Royal Navy. I know first hand how hard it is to locate someone under water, if its hard in good conditions with a scuba tank then how hard is it in a pitch black water filled quary?

In blackpool several years ago 3 people died trying to resue someone in a similar situation, what would the headlines have read if the PCOS had died too.

What would you do if you turned up and there was a lake with no sign of anyone (he was submerged they didn't "watch him drown")...

Damian, Warks,

Has anyone actually taken stock of what these PCSOs have to wear ??

If anyone jumped into water of any reasonable depth wearing that (health & safety regulated?) amount og gear, they'd drown too.

Compare British police uniforms with those of their European counterparts and then see who's best for action... it certainly isn't the overloaded British copper and his PCSO mate.

Ike Numa, France,

Police Officers arwe NOT trained in lifesaving.
They are trained in dynamic risk assessment which means that if they were strong swimmers they MIGHT attemt a rescue Many Bobbies would have been unable to rescueas they would feel unable to effect a safe lifesaving ,conversely I know many PCSO's who could and would had they been there . I dont blame the public for not knowing the details but the Bobbies who are jumping on the bandwagon ought to be deeply ashamed

brian cusack, nottingham, uk

Its an absolute disgrace that firstly, these PCSOs had not been trained in basic rescue techniques from water. And secondly that they didn't have the backbone to at least get themselves wet. Incidents like this occur every day of the week at countless stretches of water around the country. How GMP can turn round and exonerate these amateurs is pitiful. I suppose that if they had been facing a knife-wealding hoodie, they would have asked for a few minutes to complete a risk assessment of whether to tackle him or run away for more pens and paper. Looks like the Police Log in Private Eye is based on fact.

Finn, Dublin,

Your readers may like to read ACC Dave Thompson's full statement. It is on our website at gmp.police.uk in the news section. The two PCSOs did not stand by and watch Jordon die - their actions were instrumental in getting the rest of the emergency services to the correct location as quickly as possible. Tragically, there was nothing that could have been done to save Jordon.

Smyth Harper, Head of Press Office, Greater Manchester Police

Smyth Harper, Manchester,

Is it possible that the salaries of two PCSO's could equate to one Police Officer - if so scrap them and let's have some more proper bobbies on the job.

Carole, Gramat,

Sad day when job descriptions come in the way of moral instinst, however, if neither of them could swim, there would likely to have been three deaths. I was under the impression that trained Police Officers (as opposed to 'pretend police' implemented to fool the public and save money) had first aid skills and surely should be able to pass a swimming test? If not, they should.
When will the public get their voice back - we want trained police on our streets and are not fooled by your money saving attempts to put pretend police in their place. And we want our police on the streets working for us, not sitting inside under piles of paperwork. Listen to the public for once, we work hard and are not getting what we pay for with our taxes!

B Jones, Oxford, Oxfordshire

The Police Federation should be ashamed of itself for using a tragedy to score cheap political points by knocking PCSOs. The real reason the Fed doesn't like PCSOs is that they (PCSOs) are much more effective at things like community engagement, communicating, providing reassurance and gathering community intelligence than their over-paid PC colleagues. Police officers cost three times as much, ride around in cars, dont engage with anyone and only manage to detect about 1 in 5 crimes. I know which I would prefer to see on the streets. We have had one in my area for six months and she has sorted out little yobs on mini motos and managed to get a problem family evicted.

Don't blame the PCSOs for this tragedy and stop calling that quarry lake where it happened as a 'pond'. The officers DID NOT just stand by and watch the boy drown. There is no one to blame for this.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the victim's family.

Joanne Green, Luton, Bedordshire, UK

What special training do these people need? We are beginning to see the sad consequences of a flawed idea, put in place purely as a cost-cutting measure. It seems the country today is being run for the benefit of big business interests and not for People.

Neil, Gloucestershire, England

Yes, you would hope that instinctively they would have jumped in to help. Yes, you would think that anyone in public service who might be put into a position of performing a rescue would be trained to swim well. And yes, I can understand why the parents are so utterly distraught at having lost their son.

But one thought refuses to stop prodding at me whenever this item pops up on the news.

Where exactly were his mother and stepfather?

One of Jordan's stepbrothers had to rush home to raise the alarm and get his stepfather to come and help.

Everyone seems to be shredding these two PCSOs for obeying their training and not their instincts - no-one seems to be questioning why the mother and stepfather instinctively thought it was safe to leave them by the water unsupervised.

Abi, Bedford,

I feel that this incident was dealt with correctly, support officers and the police should not be entering the water, regardless of any "qualification" they may hold, it is a job for the fire and RESCUE service! The police did the right thing! Sad day for the family in question but more lives may have been lost, for that we should be greatful. Parents should take better care of their children and proper supervision and education given! Too many children die in water, there should be fines for entering water in danger areas, maybe this would be a deterant?

Geoffrey Stone, Brecon,

I agree completely with M.L. It's human instinct to save someone who is in danger; so why did the officers just stand there?

Probably because they couldn't SEE the boy, so I guess nothing went off in the officers' heads that a little boy was drowning in the water.

Officers are supposed to be heroes, not cowards.

Jennifer McCombs, North Bay, Canada

That young boy had more courage than those two older men. He saved his sister, at the cost of his own life, and the PCSCO's simply stood by when they knew there was a child under that water somewhere that needed their help.

They should be removed...

Real policemen are taken from the streets and replaced with incompetent, barely out of their teens adolescence, that what to play at being officers when they lack all common sense and basic training.

G. Johnson, Newton Abbot, Devon

As someone sho has attended several health and safety at work courses over the past few years it strikes me that the main reason for inaction in this case is training...

The one overriding thing that is driven into all employers and employees by the HSE is that whatever situation you are in, you should look after your own safety before that of others.

The PCSO's in this case, in my opinion, were merely sticing to their training and not putting their own lives in danger by entering the water - it is clear from the story that the child was not visible above the waterline as, assuming the have similar local knowledge to myself, there is no way that entering the water in these circumstances could be considered "low risk", in the same situation even a trained paramedic would be foolish to enter the water.

PCSO's do a good job in their field, supporting the police in matters of public order, but they are no replacement for fully trained emergency services st

Paul Parkinson, Wigan, Lancashire

The boy was not visible when the PCSOs got there, and the water was very deep away from the edge. Someone who is not a good swimmer (as opposed to an ordinary swimmer) should not be diving into deep water to search for a body. That is specialist work, and I hope that the sergeant that went in was a good swimmer. I expect that had he died in the rescue attempt, there would have been an outcry.

Sue, Birmingham, UK

What a waste of an innocent life. Anybody with half a heart would have jumped in to try and help.

karen, wellington, somerset

This explanation of why such inactivity potentially cost a boys life is an every inch the darkest spectre of political correctness. It is simply abhorrent that two public servants should stand by and witness the very thing they are about suffer and die. Just an example but how many firemen in New York in 2001 had been trained in dealing with rescuing people from skyscrapers that had been struck by commercial airliners. Still they went in and gave there all, including sadly for many of them and their families, their own lives. Perhaps the two PSCOs can be named which could hopefully force their hand to resign. It's just a pity that they can't resign from the human race whilst they are about it.

PL, Leicester, Leics

This incident is not just about action or lack of it, it is about GMP's fear of being sued in relation to injuries or loss suffered by their employees when carrying out actions for which they have not been given appropriate training or protection.
This shows the folly of removing from the emergency services the immunity they previously enjoyed from the health and safety acts. Training for all the situations likely to be faced must really be a growth industry.
I understand it is now virtually reaching the stage where a risk assessment has to be carried out before any officer leaves the police station.
That aside, There are two questions which occur to me:
1) would any normal person not do everything possible, trained or otherwise, if there was a possibility that a child's life could be saved in such circumstances?
2) had the sergeant who went into the water been in receipt of water rescue training and what exactly did that consist of? I never heard of any such thing during my servic

stuart howcroft, Nantwich, cheshire

As PCSO's their training is to follow orders. As their were no "proper" officers on scene they followed orders by waiting for a "proper" officer to issue an order.

So why have them. They are ineffective, have no real power and deceive the public regarding their role.

Let us have proper Police Officers, doing the job.

Gareth, Chatham, Kent

It is indeed an awful tragedy but one that is repeated every year at some stretch of water or another. From first reading of the above report (and subject to correction of course) it would seem that the PCSO's were NOT on the scene "watching" the young lad drown as you seem to believe.

As a diving instructor with a lot of experience of search and recovery diving in 'zero viz' UK waters I would like to offer the following; Jumping into any body of generally cold UK water is not the wisest course in any circumstance. The unexpected 'cold shock' invariably generates a reflexive and uncontrollable intake of breath and with it water, you now have 2 in-water casualties. This is how most victims drown. However, Why these 'officers' didn't summon their wits and slowly walk systematicaly into the water feeling as they went, is a different question? Unbelievable indifference or more likely frozen in the headlights of their own fear and lack of training! My condolences to the Lyon family.

Carter, Coventry, UK

I have nothing to say really, apart from no one knows the truth because non of us were there.

Does anyone think the Police Officers driving past on the closest road would have noticed anything was wrong?

I dont, why dont we just scrap everything!

Its very very sad what happened!

T.A, Basildon, Essex

To say they were not trained isnt good enough.We are supposed to be dependant on PCSO`s.How can they be trusted now? Any adult worth their salt would act on instinct and try to save a child.The fact the other officer dived in, speaks volumes.This was not about morailty but about legailty.They were firghtened of what would happen to their jobs if they saved a drowning boy.What does that say about them?

helen, burnley, england

The police authority must take us all for fools. Their press statement that their staff were not trained to assist in helping a young lad (who had the bravery to help save his sister) is about as self serving and dissembling as it gets. There is no getting away from the fact that these policemen funked it, and if they funked it then they will funk it again. On that basis they should be discharged from the force forthwith for lack of moral fibre.

David West, Templecombe, England

Sadly these two PCSO's have caused great harm to the police services and that poor lad and his family. It's got nothing to do with training they could have helped the effort in many ways even if one remained on the bank while the other got stuck in to help - calmly and efficiently. Did the Sargent have special training I suspect not he just cared enough to try. That is why our Police force is great and we should be supporting them rather than trying to tear them down all the time.

Paul, Dorchester, Dorset

apathy is disgusting. may his soul rest in peace.

disgusted, london,

Sir, as a time served ex-Met copper, retiring in 1987, I am shocked, surprised and disgusted with the Greater Manchester Police Force. The "Senior" officer who stated that the PCSO's were not "trained in underwater rescue" as an excuse for their lack of action needs a severe reprimand. May I ask, just how many Greater Manchester Police officers HAVE been trained in "underwater rescue"? I spent 27 years in the Met, and was never instructed in any such training, but I would not have hesitated to attempt to try to save the life of a young lad, underwater and not visible or not! and I am sure that the majority of the rank and file regular officers of your Force would have done the same, regardless of the lack of training.
When will you realise that you cannot get Policing on the cheap. Pay peanuts, you get monkeys. The general public will look at the latest balls-up by Greater Manchester Police, and come to the conclusion that the British Police has lost it.

Keith Banks, Frinton., Essex

It is human instinct to save life no matter who you are, you do not think about the danger to yourself as human nature kicks in. In a drowning situation like this one if you do not help death is a certainty if you do help lives can be saved, if you can swim you are qualified to help. Sometimes the outcome is tragic but at least you can say I tried my best to save a life and I can live with that. This story made me weep, a little boy died whilst keeping his sisters head above the water thus saving her life whilst two officers watched. This is not about PCSCOs or how many of them are employed, it is about the death of a little boy who is a hero, he sacrificed his own life to save his sisters. Two grown men stood and watched this happen and they have to live with that for the rest of their lives and that vision will haunt them forever. They could of quite easily saved both children. The Police Force should be keeping trained officers and scrap PSCOs, penny pinching government!

M.L, liverpool,

I have been a police officer for the past two years, I have not had any training to deal with a situation like that. But I took an oath to preserve life, regardless of that as a human being, I would have jumped and put my life first. I do agree that PCSO's like to wear the uniform, but do not like doing the job that is expected of them. I think get rid and put more police on the streets. Even better, get them to do the clerical jobs that a lot of officers are doing and send them officers back on the beat also

Peter, Liverpool, UK

My utmost condolences for the bereaved family. This shouldn't happen to anyone, let alone a child. May God The Almighty look after him.

Adam Anwari, birmingham,

As a retired "Real" Police Officer of over 25 years I am ashamed,disgusted and lost for any words that would cover what I thinkof this incident and also the Police Response to the just complaint.
I doubt most people who act at the scene of a disater have had adequate training IF ANY AT ALL.
For these two uniform carriers to do what they did and then have the afront to not even turn up at the inquest is beyond belief. Any real officer who did what they did would be sacked. I hope these have or will be. along with every other Pcso this useless government put on th streets as a visible con trick to the long crime suffering public.
My thoughts go to the family and parents, please do not judge all Police officers on this incident although I wouldn`t blame you.

KW, Wirral, UK

They should be ashamed of themselves.

Rus, Warrington,

I find it hard to believe that anybody could stand by while a child was in trouble in those conditions. My heart goes out to the parents who know that if these people had used a modicom of common sense their son would be alive now.

Sue Tizzard, Plymouth, Devon

I agree we should have more fully trained police officers however, had the two PCSO's drowned as well there would have been an even bigger tragedy. Some years ago several police officers drowned at Blackpool trying to rescue a child from the sea after he had followed his dog into the water. Sorry for all involved.

Vera Cummins, Blackpool, Lancashire

How sad, seems that even acting humanely is now a breach of "Health and Safety".

jasper, chelmsford,

Dam how much training do you need to save a kids life.... most people would have jumped in an at least done their best, i hope those two can sleep at night...

daniel Fleming , bradford, west yorkshire

PCSOs should be tested for bravery when qualifying above anything else..this is disgusting, I would help anybody in that situation , even a drowning dog

Zane, Leicester,