THE PRO PATRIA PROJECT

HARVEY Don Nicholas Fraser

Constable, New Zealand Police

KNOX Paul Alan

Dectective, New Zealand Police.

JOINT CITATION

Queen's Gallantry Medal

Gazetted 17 February 1992, Supp 52837, p2785

Constable Harvey, was a member of the Dunedin Armed Offenders Squad deployed at Aramoana on 13-14 November 1990. With another Constable he maintained a cordon at the front of the gunman's house. Sergeant Guthrie was positioned at the rear of the house in which it was believed the gunman was contained. On learning the gunman was not within the thin Police cordon, he and the other Constable set out in search of the gunman. Constable Harvey heard a verbal challenge to the gunman and made toward the direction of the voice. They were without radio communication and their every movement was fraught with danger. Constable Harvey gained a fleeting view of the gunman as he walked over a higher piece of ground. The gunman fired a volley of shots at an unknown target. His possession of a .38 calibre police revolver indicated to Constable Harvey that a member of the Police had been incapacitated.

Detective Knox was one of the initial group of Police to respond to the incident at Aramoana. Because of the lack of portable communication Sergeant Guthrie first deployed Detective Knox as a physical communicator between another Constable and himself. Detective Knox moved variously between the Constable and a Police vehicle relaying the sergeant's orders. Detective Knox was then deployed to a cordon position near the gunman's house. The Detective observed the gunman outside the house carrying a burning object in one hand. Detective Knox returned to the Police vehicle and relayed his observation to Sergeant Guthrie. During the sergeant's return radio transmission Detective Knox heard the sergeant call out a challenge.

There was an immediate volley of shots. Detective Knox realised Sergeant Guthrie's perilious position, and without regard for his own personal safety, called out to the sergeant. As the sergeant did not reply Detective Knox bravely moved across open ground to his last known position.

After locating the slain Sergeant Guthrie and radioing the shooting of the sergeant to control, Detective Knox joined Constable Harvey. Believing the gunman might have further weapons in his house, and despite not knowing his exact whereabouts, the two policemen approached, entered and searched his premises. The gunman had decamped but the search revealed three high-powered firearms and a quantity of ammunition. Constable Harvey seized the weapons and removed them from the premises.. Still without portable radio communication, Constable Harvey and Detective Knox decided to make for safer ground. During this movement the two policemen passed a parked utility vehicle where a number of bodies lay. Again, Constables Harvey and Knox exposed themselves to extreme danger while checking the vehicle and condition of the gunman's victims. Finding one of six people alive, the two policemen decided to instigate an evacuation. Constable Harvey exposed himself to further danger by returning to a Police vehicle to meet with the arriving Armed Offenders Squad and to arrange the evacuation.

Detective Knox remained with a wounded girl for nearly 40 minutes before she was evacuated in a daring rescue. Constable Harvey and Detective Knox, in difficult and dangerous conditions, displayed exemplary acts of bravery in the highest traditions of the New Zealand Police.

KNOWN AWARDS

Queen's Gallantry Medal