Police officer honoured after saving two women

Constable Richard Jellyman was awarded a Certificate of Commendation for locating a woman in danger on February 17. Photo / Supplied

A police constable who saved two women in separate incidents was honoured at the Counties Manukau Police district awards ceremony at Otahuhu Primary School today.

Constable Richard Jellyman was awarded a Certificate of Commendation for locating a woman in danger on February 17.

Area Commander for Counties Manukau West Inspector, Jason Hewett, said the woman was a passenger in a vehicle and signalled to another motorist for help.

Police were contacted and Mr Jellyman located the vehicle and stopped it in Patumahoe near Pukekohe.

When he reached the vehicle he saw the woman in the passenger seat covered in a blanket.

She jumped from the vehicle and said a man in the car was going to kill her.

Mr Jellyman then monitored the pursuit of the offender by radio and took the victim to a safe location.

He received another commendation for saving a 73-year-old woman's life when he performed CPR after she collapsed in Pukekohe in January.

Mr Jellyman said he was humbled to receive the awards.

He was one of many officers and members of the community recognised for their service at the ceremony.

Minister of Police, Judith Collins, Mayor Len Brown, MPs and councillors were among those in attendance.

Ms Collins said she'd spent yesterday visiting police officers shot during a major incident in the Bay of Plenty this week and their families.

She described them as ordinary people who had done extraordinary things.

She said such bravery could look like "business as usual", but needed to be celebrated if officers were to continue putting their lives on the line.

Ms Collins said trauma would go along with the physical effects for those shot and their families.

She was pleased police today were better at dealing with and acknowledging the deep distress to officers and their families that resulted from those sorts of incidents.

Today's ceremony also included performances by Otahuhu Primary School cultural groups, the Counties Manukau District Commander's Choir and Tina Cross. A police parade planned for this morning was cancelled due to rain.