Wellington Police District staff honoured at Safety in the City Awards

Staff of the Wellington Police Maritime Unit and a traffic camera operator are among those who have been honoured at the Wellington Safety in the City Awards this evening.

The crew of Police launch Lady Liz IV have been honoured for their part in the rescue of 44 passengers onboard the East by West ferry, which got into significant difficulty near Worser Bay in March this year.

The crew was also recognised for a further rescue in May this year off the Wairarapa coast, where they assisted a catamaran back to safety, aided by members of the Coastguard.

Police traffic camera operator Simon Tomlinson and Strathmore resident Samantha Donaldson have been recognised for their vital role in assisting a victim of a serious family violence incident in the city last October.

Acting Wellington District Commander Inspector Richard Chambers says Police employee Simon Tomlinson was working in the Strathmore area when he heard a woman in a nearby vehicle screaming for help, having been attacked with a knife.

"Whilst neighbour Samantha Donaldson phoned 111 for assistance, Simon calmly approached the offender and told him he was a member of Police, which gave the victim enough time to escape from the car. The offender in this matter was sentenced last Friday to four years and two months imprisonment in relation to this incident."

Inspector Chambers says the Eastern Rocks and Wellington South Community Patrols have been successfully acting as the 'eyes and ears' for Police, since being established earlier this year. Both groups have also received awards tonight for their commitment to making their neighbourhoods safer.

"The Safety in the City Awards recognise those individuals and groups working tirelessly to make our communities safer and I'm delighted that Police staff have been honoured for the extremely hard work they have done and continue to do, to keep residents across the Wellington District safe."

ENDS

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