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THE tireless and selfless work of several members of the NSW Police Force was recognised at yesterday’s Mid North Coast Local Area Command (LAC) Awards Ceremony.
Hastings officer Scott McKenzie was just one of many representatives of the force honoured at the function.
Senior Constable McKenzie’s presence at the ceremony was made more noticeable by his many awards.
Along with Sergeant Andrew Kable, he was awarded the National Medal and the NSW Police Medal.
He was also awarded the Mid North Coast LAC Certificate of Merit for his exhaustive work in the search and rescue of an elderly man last July.
“I was working out of Camden Haven at the time and received a call that a car had been abandoned in the state forest near Comboyne,” Senior Constable McKenzie said. “I did a registration check on the car and it belonged to a Port Macquarie gentleman.
“I contacted Port Macquarie police who were informed by the owner’s neighbours that he was someone who liked to go for drives in the country.”
The search was complicated by recent rainfall, which had impacted road surfaces, and looming darkness.
Senior Constable McKenzie linked up with officers from the dog squad who tracked the resident’s scent.
“Police from Manning Great Lakes Command searched through the night and at 3am I went home for a rest,” Senior Constable McKenzie said.
The officer restarted duty a few hours later at 7am.
“By then we had a command post established, and I began to search nearby farmhouses,” Senior Constable McKenzie said.
As he was driving along a particularly unstable road the officer noticed an unlikely object.
“There was a green shopping bag on the edge of the road, near the washout and when I looked down the escarpment I could see the man had fallen about 15 metres,” Senior Constable McKenzie said.
The man, now identified as George Whatson, was lying in a rocky creek bed.
“It was immediately clear that his head had been heavily impacted, he was in shock and had suffered a large loss of blood,” Senior Constable McKenzie said.
Senior Constable McKenzie began resuscitation and then took Mr Whatson to Comboyne Oval.
He was attended by staff of Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter, and airlifted to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle.
Senior Constable McKenzie took responsibility for Mr Whatson’s car and possessions and returned them when Mr Whatson was moved to Port Macquarie Base Hospital.
“I wanted to save him the expense of having to get his car towed, so I put it in my backyard at Comboyne,” Senior Constable McKenzie said. “When I saw him in hospital he was in good spirits. His will to live is incredible.”
Senior Constable McKenzie was also awarded the Northern Region Certificate of Merit, along with Senior Constable Christopher Rowley.
On December 6, 2009, Special Constable McKenzie and Senior Constable Rowley responded to a report of a stabbing at a residence on Floburn Street, Wauchope.
After arresting the suspect, Senior Constable Rowley commenced cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the victim, inside a residence, despite the victim being a known hepatitis C carrier.
The situation outside the home deteriorated quickly.
“There was a crowd of about 20 or 30 people becoming very agitated, trying to remove the body,” Senior Constable McKenzie said.
“At one point some people attempted to set fire to my vehicle, which I had secured the suspect in.”
The highest discipline was required from the officers as they awaited back-up from Port Macquarie.
“I take my hat off to Chris, because his conduct was completely above and beyond,” Senior Constable McKenzie said. “His efforts that day were remarkable.”
Senior Constable Rowley’s description of the incident summarised the self-sacrificing nature of the profession.
“We just had to protect the people and preserve the crime scene as best we could,” Senior Constable Rowley said. “Then you hope and pray the cavalry is on their way.”