Actions in armed offender incident recognised
WHEN Constable Dean Paterson and former Senior Constable Stewart Hewett confronted an armed burglar at an Oamaru supermarket four years ago, the pair had no idea what to expect.
Working together, the two Oamaru police officers managed to defuse a potentially deadly situation that unfolded on January 22, 2014 at Oamaru New World in Wansbeck St.
At 4.20am, 62yearold Terence Eric Webb smashed his way into the supermarket armed with a .22 sawnoff air rifle, boning knife and claw hammer and demanded alcohol.
He then confronted three staff members who were at the premises and held them at gunpoint, before a fourth staff member arrived and was able to alert police.
At the Oamaru police station yesterday, Const Paterson and Mr Hewett were recognised for the role they played in Webb’s eventual surrender.
The pair received New Zealand Police Bronze Merit awards, presented by Southern district commander Superintendent Paul Basham.
A citation read by Inspector Marty Gray said the three employees on site when Webb entered the building feared for their safety at the time and ‘‘engaged with the offender to placate him’’ and complied with his demands.
After police arrived at the scene, Const Paterson and Snr Const Hewett took it upon themselves to resolve the standoff, Insp Gray said.
When they entered the building, Const Paterson ‘‘adopted a covering position’’ while Snr Const Hewett negotiated with Webb for close to an hour, despite having the rifle presented at him several times.
The staff involved were able to leave during that time, before Webb surrendered to police shortly after 6am.
Const Paterson’s award was for his ‘‘brave, courageous actions’’ when risking his own life by confronting the armed offender and Mr Hewett’s award was presented for ‘‘bravery, leadership and excellent negotiation skills’’ when confronting the offender.
Reflecting on the incident, Mr Hewett, who retired from his role about two months after it happened, said the situation was intense.
‘‘I didn’t know what to expect, really. It just seemed a bit unreal to be in Oamaru. It was an unknown, that was the big thing. It’s just not something you come across. There was people that needed us . . . this was our town, not his.’’
Supt Basham said the rarely bestowed award was the ‘‘first category of bravery that the organisation acknowledges beyond the commissioner’s award’’.
On June 13, 2014, Webb, who admitted charges of aggravated burglary, presenting a firearm, carrying an offensive weapon (a knife) and using a firearm to resist arrest, was given concurrent prison sentences of three years (aggravated burglary), six months (using a firearm to resist arrest and carrying an offensive weapon) and two months (three charges of presenting a firearm).