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Senior Constable Dave Whyte and his dog Edge yesterday received the Gold Merit Award - policing's highest honour - for disarming a man who stabbed himself before twice stabbing the dog.
The award, given to staff for outstanding work or service, was given to the Hawkes Bay officer at a special ceremony at Hastings Police Station.
Police dog Edge received a citation for bravery and perseverance after being critically injured when he was stabbed by Graham Ashcroft.
Police said Edge continued to fight off his assailant and protect his handler as he bled profusely from stab wounds to his chest and side.
Mr Whyte and Edge were called to an incident at Maraekakaho near Hastings on June 6 last year after reports of a man act acting suspiciously on a farm.
Ashcroft stabbed himself in the stomach and was preparing to stab himself in the chest when Mr Whyte and Edge intervened.
Mr Whyte was struggling with Ashcroft when he plunged the knife into the dog's chest, just missing Mr Whyte's leg, police said.
Mr Whyte grabbed Ashcroft's arm as he stabbed the dog a second time.
He managed to wrestle the knife from Ashcroft and with the situation under control, Edge collapsed unconscious from his injuries.
The dog was flown by rescue helicopter to a vet practice in Havelock North before being transferred to Massey University's Veterinarian Teaching Hospital in Palmerston North.
It was estimated Edge lost over half of his blood.
Hawkes Bay police-dog Sergeant Allan McRae said Edge had returned to work in Hawkes Bay and was now fit as a fiddle.
The Gold Merit Award citation said Mr Whyte's actions were in the highest tradition of the police.
Graham Ashcroft was jailed for five years, including 18 months for the attack on Edge.
- NZPA
