PB7548 Senior Constable Peter Broughton
The New Zealand Bravery Medal
FPF951 Constable Floyd Pratt
The New Zealand Bravery Medal
Constable Floyd Pratt
On the evening of 11 October 1994, Senior Constable Broughton and Constable Pratt were among four police officers, including a handler and dog, pursuing a man who had just been seen lurking in the vicinity of houses and who had assaulted one of the constables.
They entered a property under the provisions of Section 317 of the Crimes Act (power to enter premises to arrest an offender or to prevent an offence). Once inside, the man again assaulted the constable, while a woman confronted Constable Pratt with a baseball bat and used it to hit the Police dog on the head.
Senior Constable Peter Broughton
Senior Constable Broughton ran up some stairs to disarm the woman, but another man then used the bat to hit him several times on the body and head. Constable Pratt went to his assistance, but by this time Senior Constable Broughton had received further blows, suffering serious injuries to his head and multiple bone fractures to his hands. He was now unable to defend himself. Constable Pratt could hear the sound of breaking bones and crushing flesh and could see the amount of blood his colleague was losing. Senior Constable Broughton was then hit over the head again. Constable Pratt was able to drag him down the stairs, where they tried to disarm the man. Constable Pratt, using his short baton, led the way up the stairs. His baton was smashed from his hand, dislocating his finger and grazing his head. Further blows were then struck with the bat, but the two constables were eventually able to overpower and arrest the man.
Senior Constable Broughton later underwent surgery for his serious injuries, while Constable Pratt was treated at hospital and discharged.