28/05/2026
Arresting a man for assault and actual bodily harm to a child was a sensitive job for Lincoln response constables Kat Ware and Carl Brackley last month. Someone had called our control room reporting a man mistreating a small child in the northern area of Lincoln by shaking, screaming and swearing loudly at him, before being offensive to passersby who confronted him.
It was up to our officers to conduct an initial investigation which involved speaking to staff at the boy’s school. The child had some injuries to his legs. Social services were contacted and they knew of this man and believed that the behaviour the witness spoke of was in character. A call was made to the witness and they said that the incident was filmed on their phone, but PCs Ware and Brackley believed it would be ideal if they could find CCTV or doorbell camera evidence as well, so they walked the area looking for cameras – a few were found, but none covered the exact spot.
Our officers spoke to our Protecting Vulnerable Persons team – they specialise in situations such as this and they'd ultimately be the ones taking on the case, and a decision was made to arrest the man. PCs Ware and Brackley knocked at the door of his family home and went inside - a while later, he emerged in handcuffs and was escorted to one of our prisoner transport vans.
Our response officers dealt with this case sensitively - as emotionally charged as a report to us may be, we must deal in evidence - officers need to establish facts and treat everyone with respect, including the alleged perpetrator. Calm heads and polite but firm manners can often de-escalate what could be volatile situations.
Our officers bring experience from different backgrounds which helps them to manage delicate circumstances.
PC Carl Brackley is a transferee and former Armed Response Vehicle Officer from the Metropolitan Police and is a relatively new recruit to Lincolnshire, having swapped at the start of the year, but he has years of policing expertise learnt from the capital. He says that it pays to be wary when arrests are made as there’s an unpredictability to people and what they’ll do when their liberty is at stake. He states that people can lash out or even climb on top of buildings, so police officers must be on guard and work as a team. He says that teamwork and working with good colleagues makes the job far more enjoyable. He was crewed for the day with PC Kat Ware, a constable of two years’ service and a former Prison Officer. She believes her previous role and life experience allows her to see a full picture of criminality and the impact that this has on victims, as well as on the families of perpetrators. She believes that joining the force in midlife - “a little late” as she puts it (we disagree) - helps her to diffuse complicated situations that could escalate quickly. Emotions of families can run high when loved ones are being arrested and being a family person herself, she has a naturally calming and empathetic manner.
Empathy and teamwork were evident all day as the officers had a variety of incidents to tackle. Their priority was attending to the case involving a young child but while on the way, and with the child judged to be out of current danger, PCs Ware and Brackley were first called to a report where two youths were believed to be causing anti-social behaviour. The officers dealt with the situation professionally and calmly, and one of the youths was taken by officers to Lincoln Police Station, before officers moved on to their next job.
It was then time to head to the school in the north of the city to check on the welfare of the child who was said to have been assaulted. On the way, PC Ware made a call to teaching staff, but our officers spotted a broken-down van by the A46 Carholme Roundabout, and given the immediate danger that this could pose to the driver of the van and other road users, a decision was made to stop, which meant a blue light run along the A46 to Skellingthorpe and back to Carholme.
Our officers immediately got to work, using cones to close off the lane and displaying signs to warn drivers of the hazard ahead. The driver said that the van had lost all power and wouldn’t start. He’d called for recovery and assistance was said to be an hour away, so our officers guarded the scene until help arrived. PC Ware took the opportunity to make roadside calls to the school and social workers relating to the child incident. After a delay of just over an hour, they could then travel to their intended destination, conduct initial enquiries, and make the arrest that could mean a child is safe again.
