NSW GOVERNOR AWARDS BRAVE POLICE

Seventeen New South Wales Police officers are to be honoured for bravery by the governor, Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, during a special ceremony today in Sydney.

The officers are among 45 recipients attending the award presentations by the Royal Humane Society at Government House.

Bronze Medals

Senior Constable Anthony RODGERS

Sergeant Peter GIBSON (then Senior Constable)

Just before 10.30pm on 2 August 1998, Senior Constables Rodgers and Gibson attended a house fire at Condoblin. Upon learning there was a man inside the building, the pair entered the home only to be forced back by thick smoke. The officers re-entered the house, located the unconscious man and carried him outside. The policemen applied CPR but the man failed to respond and died early the following day.

Bronze Medals

Senior Constable Peter BAILEY

Sergeant John PURCELL (then Senior Constable)

Certificates of Merit

Senior Constable Michael PAULL

Sergeant Gregory NEAL

Inspector David VIDAL (then Sergeant)

Constable Paul MAXWELL

Senior Constable Anthony SMITH

Whilst on patrol through Cabramatta around 11.20pm on 13 December 2005, Senior Constables Purcell and Bailey spotted a third floor home unit ablaze. They called for backup and entered the building, running to the top floor, alerting residents. Officer Purcell forced entry to the burning unit and through thick smoke, he and Senior Constable Bailey dragged an elderly, burned and injured man out of the apartment. Senior Constables Paull and Smith; Sergeants Neal and Vidal; and Constable Maxwell then assisted in carrying the injured man down three flights to safety.

Certificates of Merit

Sergeant Paul DUCKER

Leading/Senior Constable Grahame ABBOTT

Senior Constable David GHOSN

Around 8pm on 10 January 2006, police were called to the Hawkesbury River at Bobbin Head after reports of an injured man in the water, threatening further self harm. When negotiations with the man failed, Sergeant Ducker, Leading Senior Constable Abbott and Constable Ghosn, in full uniform, leapt into the water to save the man. Despite a strong current and a protracted struggle, the officers successfully placed the man in a boat. He was transported to hospital in a police van and later admitted into psychiatric care.

Bronze Medal

Detective Sergeant Darren CLOAKE (then uniformed Sergeant)

Around 5pm on 23 May 2006, Sergeant Cloake was heading home after his rostered shift when he encountered a weatherboard house on fire in Auburn. Told by residents there were two occupants inside the home, Sergeant Cloake entered the burning dwelling through the back door. The house was filled with smoke and hot gases. Sergeant Cloake quickly located the occupants and led them to safety. He then re-entered the building to ensure there was no-one else trapped inside. The officer also alerted neighbouring residents before the arrival of emergency services.

Bronze Medals

Constable Paul THOMPSON

Constable David CRAWFORD

Around 4pm on 2 October 2006, Constable Thompson, on duty, and Constable Crawford, off-duty in his private vehicle, responded to a serious road crash on Henry Lawson Drive at Padstow Heights. A female driver was killed in the head-on collision and a young male driver was severely injured. He remained trapped as a fire broke out in the engine bay of his vehicle. Several bystanders tried in vain to open the trapped driver’s door. Constable Thompson unsuccessfully attempted to extinguish the flames. Constable Crawford entered the rear of the vehicle and released the driver’s seatbelt while his colleague entered the front area of the vehicle. The officers removed the burning driver through flames and smoke, dragging him to safety.

Bronze Medals

Constable Brett CROSSAN

Constable Louise CROSSAN

Around 4.15pm on 6 March 2007, the two police officers responded to a report of a female swimmer in distress at Belongil Beach at Byron Bay. A 26-year-old Japanese national had been swimming with her sister and a male friend when she was caught in a strong rip. She was dragged into a seaweed-filled gutter, about 20 metres long and 30 metres wide. The officers entered heavy seas in overcast conditions and driving rain. They searched for the woman for 20 minutes and were joined by other emergency services including surf life savers and two helicopters. Surf life saving rescue craft were forced to withdraw from the search due to seaweed fouling their engine propellers. Despite extensive searches over several days, the woman was not located and presumed drowned.