Bravery defined:
(of a person) willing to do things that are difficult, dangerous, or painful; not afraid.
(of an action) requiring or showing courage.
Courage defined:
The ability to do something dangerous, or to face pain or opposition, without showing fear.
Hard things are put in our way not to stop us but to bring out our courage and strength. Every day, every night, throughout New Zealand, Police staff face difficult and dangerous situations while serving their communities.
Sometimes, these events begin innocently enough, but change for the worse in the blink of an eye. In these situations, the decisions and actions of these men and women can mean the difference between life and death for the people they’re engaging with, and indeed their own lives.
He Toa Taumata Rau acknowledges Police staff and a number of civilians who have gone out of their way and over and above the call of duty. While these brave and courageous people have been formally recognised for their actions, there are many other Police staff and members of the public who have carried out acts of bravery for which they receive no formal recognition. These people too are heroic.
The officers, civilians and dogs featured in these pages are those who have received the highest bravery awards between 1951 and 2019 in New Zealand. Other bravery award recipients will be added to these pages over time.