Incredible valour in the line of duty
IT STARTED off like any other morning. Police officers Brittany Poulton, Stephen Barlow, Scott Hill and Catherine Nielsen readied themselves for work on May 29, 2017 not knowing how their day would unfold.
However the four would soon experience a shattering afternoon that left a fellow colleague dead - embedding the tragic event in their minds forever.
Senior Constable Brett Forte was shot dead in the Lockyer Valley by wanted man Rick Maddison after a police pursuit involving the five colleagues.
Nielsen described the event as surreal.
“It was like when something happens and for a split second you can’t believe it,” she said.
“At about 1.30pm things started to happen which led to us having to go really quickly, then it led to us being actively involved in the pursuit.”
Nielsen was in the car with Forte when it rolled.
“I had to then get out, smashed the window open and got out there but then Scott Hill -fortunately for me — he and Brittany and Stephen made their way to where we were,” she said.
“I smashed the windscreen with my baton with the help of Scott.
“Every day, I think about Brett. I think for the rest of my life I may think about it every day.”
Hill said police officers put their lives at risk every day.
“It’s something we just do, it’s our job, it’s what we’ve chosen to do,” he said.
“(It) definitely made us closer, it was all a team effort at the end of the day.”
Barlow said he could only hope something similar wouldn’t happen again.
“It does go through your mind but you can’t let it affect you,” he said.
“You’ve just got to go on and get back on the course so to speak.”
Poulton said while she’d thought about similar events happening before, when it happened it was a shock.
“I don’t think it will go away for any of us that were involved.”
The four all received QPS Valour Awards at an emotional ceremony last year.
Yesterday they were among the Queenslanders awarded a 2017 Pride of Australia medal in Brisbane. News Corp’s Pride of Australia awards recognise unsung community heroes.