Tales of bravery and dedication have been revealed at the Chief Constable’s annual awards ceremony.

Commendations were presented to serving officers and members of the public at this year’s event, held at the Gaiety Theatre.

Most threats to our safety come from outside the island, the audience heard.

Police and customs officers targeted a total of 49 ferry sailings over the course of 14 days in May last year - with remarkable success.

One man was found driving a van with a hidden compartment in which was hidden 2kg of extremely pure cocaine with a street value of over £714,000.

Another vehicle was found with more than £70,000 worth of cannabis inside.

Counterfeit goods worth £15,000 were seized, a man stopped in possession of £15,000 of undeclared cash and two people who were wanted on warrant were arrested.

The proactive operation was planned and managed by Constable Harry Jones, a patrol officer based in Douglas, who received a Chief Constable’s certificate of merit.

Constable Jones received a second certificate of merit alongside a second officer for their role in saving someone in crisis.

He and Constable Sophie Dvorakova were on patrol in Douglas last December when a woman climbed onto the Millennium Bridge and threatened to jump into the fast flowing water.

Showing great calmness and presence of mind, the officers spent a long time in near freezing conditions talking to the woman until they were able to take her to safety.

For many people the notion exists that men who are unafraid to use violence in public somehow show restraint when approached by female police officers.

Perhaps this was once the case. It certainly isn’t now.

In April last year, Constables Bethany Hall and Ellie Roberts were on patrol in Douglas when they were called to a report of a fight in Windsor Road, Douglas.

One man launched a violent and unprovoked assault on another man, leaving him dazed and injured.

A third man was punched and kicked as he lay on the ground.

The officers launched themselves into the melee, with one of them pulling the very violent instigator of the violence away from his victim.

A witness described how both officers had been fearless.

They were formally commended for their courage and determination in confronting and restraining violent men.

Members of the public were honoured too at the awards ceremony.

Teenager Jacob Kelly received a Chief Constable’s commendation from the Lieutenant Governor for saving his dad’s life - a story that made front-page headlines.

On the morning of Thursday, January 9, this year, Nigel Kelly was working on land near to Ballaleece Bridge in St John’s.

Jacob, who was 15, had left him to catch a bus back home in Castletown when he heard his dad’s screams.

Mr Kelly had been using a hole borer attached to his tractor when somehow his clothing became trapped in the spinning machinery.

Jacob ran back to the tractor where he was confronted by a gruesome scene - someone close to him in extreme agony and in imminent danger of death.

Showing incredible calmness and presence of mind, the lad made the machine safe and then used a rope to apply a tourniquet to his dad’s leg.

He then summoned help, staying with Mr Kelly until the police and paramedics arrived.

Formally commending him, the Chief Constable said: ’There is no doubt that Jacob saved Mr Kelly’s life.’

Taxi driver Erik Lunt was formally commended for helping police officers when a fare turned violent.

He had called police last December when a passenger fell asleep in his cab.

Constables Aaron Bibby and Emily Perkins responded and they tried to wake him.

As they did so, the man suddenly became violent - he punched Constable Bibby in the face, spat at him and then bit him on the hand, while he also injured Constable Perkins, who received cuts to her hand.

Mr Lunt put aside concerns for his own safety and waded in to help the officers.

Despite sustaining a cut to his leg, he helped the officers overpower and restrain the man, allowing him to be handcuffed and taken into custody.

One man who is lucky to be alive was in the audience to see those who saved his life receive their commendations.

Marc Calderbank was competing in a mountain bike event in June last year when he suffered a heart attack and crashed near Conrhenny plantation.

His friends Nicholas Tat and Tara Jackson initially thought he had fainted but quickly realised the seriousness of the situation.

It was clear that his life was in danger and they began to carry out cardio-pulmonary resuscitation under the remote direction of emergency services joint control room staff.

As they did so, a passing motorist alerted two competitors in the Longest Day, Longest Ride race which was taking place near by, Constables Peter Dyer and Steffan Hoy who provided chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation until paramedics arrived.

All four were formally commended for their swift and selfless actions in helping save Mr Calderbank’s life.

One of the force’s analysts, Mike Devereau, went to the rescue while he was on holiday in Greece last year.

Mike had gone for a swim in deep water off the village of Kardamyl and noticed another swimmer apparently in difficulty about 50 metres from the shore. He swam to the casualty, who was unconscious, and with the help of a Dutch man, pulled him back to dry land.

There a group of holidaying doctors provided cardio pulmonary resuscitation to him but sadly it was too late to save the man.

Constable Tom Duke was this year’s winner of the Isle of Man Newspapers’ community police officer of the year award.

Members of the public who nominated him talked about his compassion in dealing with a bereaved family, the rapport he built up with someone suffering from dementia and the support he gave to a disabled person after a car crash.