Police Commissioner Richard Chambers has congratulated 14 serving and two former police staff, recognised as recipients of the New Zealand Bravery Awards which acknowledge the actions of those who save or attempt to save the life of another person while putting their own life at risk.
The 16 staff were acknowledged today (Friday 6 December) with the award of the New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD) and New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM).
The NZBD, presented for an act of exceptional bravery in a situation of danger, is awarded posthumously to Constable Matthew Hunt, who was murdered on duty in West Auckland in June 2020.
Also receiving the NZBD is a former officer who risked his own life in an attempt to rescue a driver from a burning car.
The NZBM, recognising an act of bravery, is awarded to Constable Dave Goldfinch, who was with Constable Hunt; two off-duty officers who arrested a knife attacker in a Dunedin supermarket; and four officers from the Bay of Plenty for their bravery under gunfire from a man sought for a double homicide.
Acts of bravery arising from last year's extreme weather events are acknowledged with the NZBM.
These acknowledge two officers who stayed with a grievously injured firefighter at huge personal risk; a constable honoured for two rescues during the Auckland floods; and four Eastern staff honoured for their lifesaving actions during Cyclone Gabrielle.
Commissioner Richard Chambers congratulated all the recipients. "I am incredibly proud when I hear about the actions of our people in responding to these dangerous situations," he says.
"Again and again we see police officers putting themselves in harm's way to help others and keep our communities safe.
"It's heartwarming to see our people recognised at such a high level but we also remember the high price sometimes paid by our staff in terms of physical or emotional trauma.
"We will always grieve the loss of Matt Hunt. I am pleased his exceptional behaviour in the worst of all circumstances is acknowledged and honoured by the nation."
The award recipients
Summaries of the incidents below.
New Zealand Bravery Decoration
Constable Matthew Hunt, Waitematā District
Constable Hunt was shot and killed by an offender in Massey, West Auckland, on 19 June 2022.
He was driving a police car when he and his colleague tried to stop a vehicle of interest, which fled. When they found it crashed, Constable Hunt's colleague got out of the car but came under fire from the other driver.
After radioing reports about the situation, Constable Hunt got out to try to assist his colleague, who the offender had pursued, shot and injured. The offender then shot Constable Hunt.
Despite his injuries, Constable Hunt made a final effort to radio Police Comms.
Former Senior Constable Andrew Watson, Tasman District
Former Senior Constable Watson was the first emergency responder on the scene of a car crash on State Highway 1 near Blenheim.
Others were tending to an injured passenger at the roadside and Mr Watson made repeated attempts to free the injured driver, reaching into the vehicle as fire spread and suffering burn injuries in the process.
Eventually he was pulled out of the crashed vehicle as fire engulfed it.
The driver could not be saved but the passenger, her husband, survived.
New Zealand Bravery Medal
Officers A, B, C and D, Bay of Plenty District
Officers A, B, C and D were on patrol in two cars in Tauranga on 13 February 2020 when they spotted a vehicle linked to the suspect in a double homicide.
As they tried to stop the vehicle, the offender opened fire. Rather than engage in an area where traffic and pedestrians would be at risk, they continued to follow, with the offender repeatedly firing at them.
When the fleeing vehicle stopped again in a more isolated area, the team engaged with the man and the offender was fatally injured.
Constable David Goldfinch, Waitematā
Constable Goldfinch was the passenger in the vehicle driven by Constable Matthew Hunt on 19 June 2020.
Constable Goldfinch went to offer assistance where the offender's car had crashed into another, injuring a member of the public, but the offender got out of his vehicle and began firing with a semi-automatic weapon.
Constable Goldfinch, who was unarmed, sought cover, and suffered four bullet wounds as the offender pursued him, firing. The offender returned to the cars and shot Constable Hunt, who had got out of the police vehicle to assist his colleague.
Constable Sophie Allison and Detective Constable Jeremy Toschi, Southern District
Constable, now Sergeant, Allison and Detective Constable, now Detective, Toschi were both off-duty and shopping separately in a central Dunedin supermarket on 10 May 2021 when a man began attacking shoppers and staff with knives.
Constable Allison tackled the offender as he stabbed a man and grabbed a chair to restrain him. Detective Constable Toschi grabbed items from the shelves and threw them to distract the attacker.
He dragged clear an injured man, then joined his colleague in restraining the attacker, who continued to struggle violently.
Four people were stabbed, and the attacker was arrested by uniformed police.
Constable Cameron Whittaker, Waitematā
Constable Whittaker was on nightshift on 27 January 2023 as heavy rainfall brought unprecedented flooding and destruction to Auckland.
He and colleagues rescued a family trapped in their Warkworth home, traversing multiple slips and wading through waist-deep mud to reach the house. Constable Whittaker then arranged a human chain to pass children to safety before the adults were evacuated.
Later that night, Constable Whittaker waded and swam to reach a man trapped in floodwaters in Kaipara Flats, getting him to safety with the help of a firefighter.
Constables Joshua Head and Maxwell Lewis, Waitematā District
On 14 February 2023, during Cyclone Gabrielle, police were called to Muriwai to help Fire and Emergency New Zealand evacuate residents and search for two missing firefighters.
Constable Head found one of the men, largely buried inside a house. Constable Lewis joined the rescuers working to free the firefighter while Constable Head held the man's hand and provided reassurance.
At one point a searcher yelled to evacuate as a house slid down the cliff toward them but the constables remained with the firefighter and braced themselves as the slip passed, metres away.
The firefighter was freed but died from his injuries.
Constables Patrick Noiseux, Kurtis Maney and Mark Bancroft, Eastern District
On 14 February 2023, Constable, now Detective Constable, Noiseux and Constables Bancroft and Maney were deployed to Pakowhai Road outside Hastings, to evacuate people amid flooding cause by Cyclone Gabrielle.
They found six people who had been caught in the current as the road turned into a river. The officers were repeatedly washed off their feet or submerged as they tried to reach the people and keep them safe.
The people and the constables were eventually rescued from the hedge where the torrent swept them by a digger being carried on a truck, then by boat when the truck was overcome.
Detective Constable Jaime Stewart, Eastern District
On 14 February 2023, now Detective Stewart and a colleague were deployed to Pakowhai, outside Hastings, as Cyclone Gabrielle raged.
They learned a Police colleague was trapped on a shed roof with her two young children. They waded through chest-height water to reach them and get them to safety.
At Chesterhope Bridge, they saw a couple stranded around 200 metres away. Detective Stewart entered the water and made her way to them, moving them to where her colleague could reach the woman.
She moved the man toward safety in the rising flood, diving at times to hold his head above water.
