Two local police officers who saved lives while on duty were honoured yesterday.
Masterton police's Constable Dave Drummond and Sergeant Kevin Basher of Featherston police were both awarded commendations at a pay parade for Wairarapa police held at Masterton police station.
Both officers saved the lives of highly distressed, suicidal people, using
bravery and quick-thinking to defuse tense, life-threatening situations.
Acting area commander Detective Inspector Paul Basham said Mr Drummond with another constable, Laura Rhymer, now of Auckland police, saved the life of a teenage girl who was threatening to jump from the fifth floor of Masterton's Departmental Building on February 9, 2006.
He said Mr Drummond spoke with "the distressed and disoriented girl" for about half an hour until he gained her confidence and managed to pull her into the building from the ledge.
The dramatic rescue had been given extra significance due to the forming of an anxious lunchtime crowd on the surrounding streets, he said.
Mr Drummond, who has been a police officer in Masterton for nine years, was awarded a police commissioner's commendation, but said his actions were "just part of the job".
"I didn't give it much thought, just did my job and pulled her in," he said.
Featherston police's Sergeant Basher was awarded a certificate of commendation for his actions in saving a man threatening to kill himself with a knife in October last year.
Mr Basher arrived at the scene to find a distressed man holding a knife to his throat. The sergeant calmly talked to the man for half an hour, eventually getting him to give up the weapon.
Mr Basham said Mr Basher's actions were especially brave considering the man was known to be "a real danger to himself and others, particularly the police".
A local surfer, Troy Bramley, was also honoured yesterday for saving the life of a drowning diver off White Rock on November 28.
Mr Bramley was given an area commander commendation for his "quick thinking and bravery" in saving Yuri Ulyashkin in heavy seas off Cape Palliser after he was caught in a rip..
Other officers honoured were Tania Simpson for 21 years' service in the police, and Sergeant Mike Sutton and constables Nigel Nelson and Mia Walton for 14 years' service.
Pay parades date back two centuries to when officers were required to march in their "number one uniform" to the magistrate's office to get their pay.
