Police honoured for bravery, long service

An elderly man had tipped out of his kayak and the current was pulling him out to sea.

Constable Mark Wright knew he had to act quickly.

"He had been in the water for quite some time and was obviously in distress," he said after receiving the District Commander's Certificate of Commendation at the Counties-Manukau Police awards yesterday.

Mr Wright, 56, said he was contemplating swimming out to the man in the Weymouth inlet last October, when a member of the public offered his kayak.

So he and paramedic Roger Booth - who also received a certificate of commendation - paddled the 2km to 3km out there and hauled the man aboard.

"It was a pretty hard paddle. I was trying to get there as quickly as I could," he said.

Mr Wright was one of a number of police officers recognised for their work, long service, good conduct and overseas deployment at the ceremony after yesterday's Counties-Manukau Police Pay Parade.

These included Sergeant Graeme Harris, who got a certificate of commendation for his work following the shooting of Manurewa liquor store owner Navtej Singh.

Detective Senior Sergeant Darrell Harpur - who led the investigation into a series of sex attacks on women in Mangere last year - was recognised for 21 years of service.