Police are praising members of the small West Coast community of Haast who came to the aid of their sole charge Police Officer during a violent encounter yesterday evening.
Constable Paul Gurney was called to a domestic incident about 8.20pm in an area without cell phone coverage and where the nearest Police backup was about one and a half hours away.
Realising the seriousness of the situation Constable Gurney contacted a person who knew the alleged offender who agreed to come and assist. The local volunteer fire service was also rallied.
During the encounter Constable Gurney faced several physical threats and his Police car sustained damage before he was able to subdue the man with the use of a taser. The member of the public then assisted him to handcuff the man.
Acting West Coast Area Commander Inspector Iain McKenzie said today the response from the community in assisting the officer was outstanding.
“Constable Gurney has significant experience as a sole charge officer in remote communities so he certainly knows how to manage these situations. He made a good call in ensuring he had backup before approaching the offender. The outcome yesterday was a credit to everyone involved and I can’t thank those community members enough for their response,” he said.
Constable Gurney recently returned to the West Coast after a period as the sole officer at New Zealand’s most remote Police outpost in the Chatham Islands.
A 53 year old Haast man will appear in the Greymouth District Court today facing assault and intentional damage charges.
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