AWARDS FOR BRAVERY

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30259, 11 October 1963, Page 16

AWARDS FOR BRAVERY

Armed Youths Apprehended

(From Our Own Reporter) TIMARU, Oct. 10.

Certificates of merit were presented to Constable A E. Jackson and Mr A. Bates, both of Fairlie, by the Commissioner of Police (Mr C. L Spencer) at the Timaru police station this afternoon. The awards were in recognition of their part in apprehending three armed youths in the Canterbury Farmers Cooperative Association’s store, Fairlie, on May 28. Constable Jackson is the third serving constable in the Timaru Police District to have been awarded a certificate for bravery. In 1957, certificates of merit were presented to Constables A. W. J. Barker (Timaru) and P. S. Stevenson (Waimate) in connexion with the safe-break-ing in the offices of the South Canterbury Jockey Club, Government Life building, Timaru, the previous year. Mr Spencer, who served in Timaru as a sergeant shortly after the Second World War, said he could only remember one similar function. It was a pleasing duty to present a certificate to Mr Bates for his public spirited action in the apprehension of burglars in the early hours of May 28. "We do appreciate such an action by a civilian. That is our aim, and that is what weare striving for, to obtain the co-operation of the public in our work,” Mr Spencer added.

The Police Force had a strength of only 2500 men and women, and the public could assist to a great degree in the suppression of crime, Mr Spencer continued. Mr Bates had done a fine job, and so had Constable Jackson, and even though the token of appreciation was small, it was worthy of recognition, said Mr Spencer. Mr Spencer congratulated Constable Jackson on upholding the tradition of the Police. Constable Jackson expressed his thanks to Mr Bates for the way in which he had assisted him.

Chief Inspector P. C. Smeaton, who welcomed Mr and Mrs Spencer, also paid a tribute to the bravery shown by the two men.

The function was attended by a large gathering, representative of headquarters and various sub-district offices.