WHEN a woman took to the roof of a mental health facility threatening to jump off, one of the force’s finest negotiators was called in to help.

Detective inspector Marj MacCullum, now retired, spent more than nine hours trying to talk the woman down from the roof of Sandalwood House, in Highworth Road.

On Sunday, January 22 a report was received from staff at Sandalwood that a mentally unwell female was on the roof of one of their buildings.

Det Insp MacCallum was sent to the scene in a bid to persuade the woman to come down from the roof safely and swiftly.

When she wouldn’t come down, Marj continued with the negotiations, without wavering for hours in the freezing cold.

Marj, 52, spent more than 30 years with the force and has been enjoying retirement for the past few months.

Recalling the incident, she said: “When you are faced with something like that, it is very difficult to process how you are feeling.

“You are just focused on what it is you need to do to resolve the situation safely.

“The lady was clearly in distress and it was a very dangerous situation.

“It was clearly something that needed to be negotiated straight away.

“What we tried to do was talk to the lady to find out what her issues were and try to strike up a rapport and a feeling of trust.

“We call negotiating ‘a conversation with a purpose’ and the purpose in this case was to save a life.”

Despite Marj’s efforts, the woman fell from the roof.

The team rushed to comfort her and ensure she did not cause herself further injuries by moving while awaiting medical staff.

Thankfully, she survived and received support from partner agencies.

“There was a huge sense of relief when we realised she was safe,” said Marj.

In recognition of her resilience, dedication to duty and professionalism, Marj was awarded a Chief Constable’s Certificate Of Excellence at the annual police awards in Devizes on Tuesday night.

Speaking about receiving her award, Marj said: “It’s quite a humbling experience to get the award because it was a huge team effort.

“It’s a huge honour for someone to say that your actions are commendable.

“I think this may raise the profile of negotiators in the Wiltshire force so our colleagues know that it’s a very worthwhile tool to use.

“Events such as these that recognise good work are really important.

“If they can motivate and inspire others, then I think that’s wonderful.”