THE PRO PATRIA PROJECT
BUCKLEY Paul
Detective, New Zealand Police
CITATION
New Zealand Bravery Medal
Special Honours List - 2 April 2011
On 7 May 2009 Detective Paul Buckley was one of the first members of the Armed Offenders Squad to arrive at the scene of the fatal shooting of Senior Constable Len Snee, and the wounding of Leonard Holmwood, and Senior Constables Grant Diver and Bruce Miller, by Mr Jan Molenaar in Chaucer Road South, Napier. Detective Buckley arrived at the scene with Senior Constable Bradley Clark from the southern end of Chaucer Road, stopping his vehicle at the intersection with Spencer Road. Moving up the hill on foot, the two men reached a position outside No. 35 Chaucer Road South from where they could see a male civilian, Mr Len Holmwood, lying on his back at the rear of Senior Constable Diver's abandoned vehicle. Carrying on up the hill again, they reached Senior Constable Diver's vehicle and, while Detective Buckley took up a covering position with his rifle, Senior Constable Clark dragged the wounded Mr Holmwood to a position out of direct sight of the gunman and began dressing his wound. Realising that they were probably too close to the gunman's position, they lifted Mr Holmwood and dragged him further down the road to a place of safety behind a block wall in the vicinity of No. 1 Spencer Road, where they continued to administer first aid to his injuries. He was later taken by a Police car to a waiting ambulance. Detective Buckley, in concert with Senior Constable Clark, displayed both bravery and dedication to duty in carrying out the evacuation of Mr Holmwood from a position that was only metres away from the gunman's house. Their actions enabled Mr Holmwood to receive essential first aid to a serious wound which, had it remained untreated for any length of time, might have proved fatal.
KNOWN AWARDS
New Zealand Bravery Medal
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