Tributes paid to 'brave' police officer and mother of three after death aged 34
Tributes have been paid to a "brave and passionate" Black Country police officer who has died after a two-year battle with cancer.
Pc Laura Jew was aged 34, had three young children and had worked for West Midlands Police for 13 years.
She began her career as a PCSO in Sandwell in 2008 before becoming a police officer in 2014, being based in Birmingham city centre.
Pc Jew, from Rowley Regis, had recently returned to the Sandwell borough as a neighbourhood officer.
Paying tribute to hear, Chief Superintendent Ian Green, head of Sandwell Police, said: "We’re all very sorry to hear of the death of Pc Laura Jew following a two-year battle with cancer.
"Our thoughts and condolences are with Laura’s family at this sad time. We’re providing all the support we can for them.
"Laura will be remembered as a brave and passionate officer. Whether it was in her roles as a PCSO or Pc, she always put the public first."
Sergeant Kinder Kaur also paid her tribute, saying: "Truly heartbroken to hear one my beautiful friends Laura is no longer with us!
"RIP Officer. One person I trusted deeply to have my back on all the NTE [night-time] shifts."
West Midlands Police's most senior officer, Chief Constable Dave Thompson, also paid tribute, describing Pc Jew as "a genuinely lovely person and a great cop."
Back in 2011, while a PCSO based in Warley, Pc Jew appeared in the Express & Star after raising money to buy security shutters, a TV and games consoles for a local youth club. She spoke of her delight at being able to help young people in her local community.
The year before she and her team had donated £1,500 worth of toys to Sandwell Women's Aid.