Police are praising members of the small West Coast community of Haast who came to the aid of their only officer during a violent encounter yesterday.
Constable Paul Gurney was called to a domestic incident about 8.20pm in an area without cell phone coverage and where the nearest police back-up was about 90 minutes away.
Realising the seriousness of the situation, he contacted a person who knew the alleged offender who agreed to help. The local volunteer Fire Service was also rallied.
During the encounter, Const Gurney faced several physical threats and his car was damaged before he was able to subdue the man using a taser. The member of the public then helped handcuff the man.
Acting West Coast Area Commander Inspector Iain McKenzie said today the response from the community in helping the officer was outstanding.
"Constable Gurney has significant experience as a sole charge officer in remote communities, so he certainly knows how to manage these situations. He made a good call in ensuring he had back-up before approaching the offender.
"The outcome yesterday was a credit to everyone involved and I can't thank those community members enough for their response," he said.
Const Gurney returned to the West Coast last month after a period as the sole officer at New Zealand's most remote police outpost in the Chatham Islands.
A 53-year-old man from Haast would appear in the Greymouth District Court today facing assault and intentional damage charges.
