One

Humour is about timing.

The quiet night means it is likely to get busy.  The radio cackles.

“Te Awamutu off the air at XXX address executing a warrant.”

Well this is no work for Police dog Cara; we slow cruise the streets of Hamilton City.  While patrolling my eyes never sit still as they are scanning the scenery for anything out of the ordinary.  My mind is busy asking itself questions.

A while later the radio bursts alive with urgency and concern in the operator’s voice.

“Dogs, an armed offender’s incident at Te Awamutu.”  The initial call is to get us mobile, not to provide us with extensive information.

My mind swings into action and the van surges into accelerated life as I apply force to the pedal.  I do not worry about the squealing tyres as the van flings into a new direction. Police dog Cara who is standing at the window doing her part in the observation role, drops to the floor of the kennel and goes into the foetal position.  Cara does this, as some of these trips are fast and scary.

We are only minutes away from the Hamilton Central Police Station and I need to pick up the regulation pistol and six bullets.  I come to a rapid halt out front of the Police Station, rushing inside, going through the public area, leaping over the counter.  The Senior Sergeants office is off to one side and on the other side is the Operations room.  I rush in and he has the safe open.  On his desk is the pistol, six bullets and the holster.  Beside the pistol, is the filled out arms book.  I quickly sign approval to carry a firearm and rush out, leaping the counter again and on my way to Te Awamutu.

Cara is standing up but as she sees me rush back to the van, she goes back into her protected position.  When the boss rushes like this, the van will fly through corners.  I live half way between Hamilton and Te Awamutu so I know the road.  The van quickly gets to full speed and stay there until I get to Ohaupo Township.  I slow down through the township. It takes only a few minutes to get through then back to full speed until we arrive in Te Awamutu.

“Dogs, rendezvous point is Maber Motors.”

“Roger”

The rendezvous point confuses me.  I still have no idea what I am going to but know the information will come in due course.  My confusion is that Maber Motors is only a few hundred yards from the address where the Te Awamutu cop is executing his warrant. I know as we go over the brow of the next hill we are going down into Te Awamutu.  Maber Motors is at the bottom of the hill. 

I bring the van to a gentle stop at Maber Motors and park behind some of the for sale cars.  I go to the back of the van, quickly and quietly let Cara out.  There is a paddock next door and she has not had a toilet break for a while.  She quickly does her toilets on command.  Cara responds to my voice commands, but also to hand signals.  I use hand signals to control her as we are only a few hundred metres from our suspected scene.  Cara sense something big and quickly slips back into the van without fuss.

I watch up the road for anything out of the ordinary.  A short while later the other members of the squad arrive.  They are dressed in the Armed Offenders jersey, a beret and special trousers that tuck into their boots.  The blackened badges on the beret will not reflect any light, but still formally identify us as Police. 

Phil the Detective Inspector in charge of the squad briefs us.  Constable XX went to execute a warrant on XXX.  He went into the house and now the person XXX is holding Constable XX at gunpoint.  The parents rang the emergency number and provided us with our information.

We all look at each other.  This is a Policeman’s worst nightmare; one of our own held hostage.

Our section is to go behind the motels, directly opposite the house.  Peter is the covering rifleman.  I enjoy working with Peter.  He is a former dog handler. I used to go out on my days off with him to help with the training of his dog. I would lays tracks, hide in buildings or put the padded sleeve on for man work training.  Peter is a happy person, always smiling and laughing.  He is unique for seeing the funny side of any serious situation. 

Normally we are emotionally detached from our work in armed incidents.  This incident is different; one of our own is at gunpoint.  My stomach is tight and I know the local cop well, adding to the inner tension I feel.  All four of us in our section sneak off through the back yard of Maber Motors and silently move through the back of properties until we come to the Motels.  We move in single file with a gap between us, so one shot can only get one cop.  We decide to go up the path on the right of the motels as this puts us in a direct line with the front of the house.  The risk is someone in the motels seeing us; it is a risk worth taking. 

When we get to the path, we go down on all fours and keep close to the outside of the motel units. We take great care to make no noise with our boots.   Peter is directly in front of me and we move in silence.  Peter is just going past a kitchen window of a unit when it suddenly opens.

“What are you doing?” says a female voice challenges.

Peter does not look up.

“Police, cup of tea, milk and two sugars please.”

The window closes and we hear voices inside the unit.  A few moments later, the window opens again and out comes the cup of tea.

“And what about your mates” she asks.

I am fighting hysterics.  Only Peter is capable of this. 

“Anyway, what are you doing?” she enquires.

Peter tells her we are the Armed Offenders squad and we have an incident across the road.  It might pay to stay inside until it is over.  He will bring back the empty cup later.  We continue to move forward, in silent mode while Peter drinks his tea.  He never spilt a drop; he places the cup and saucer on the footpath by the final unit.

Peter’s action released a lot of tension for us all, even though we did not get a cup of tea.

*********************

The arrest of the offender is without any shots fired.  Peter returned the empty cup and saucer to the woman in the unit and explained what had happened.  I can only imagine what her conversations with her friends would be like the next day.