For Launceston Police Constable Michael Harley, February 25, 2014 was “just another day on the job”.
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Only the nature of police work could allow such a description to be made.
Constable Harley was the officer in charge of the Bothwell station when reports of a suspicious vehicle were brought to his attention on February 24.
After trying unsuccessfully to intercept the vehicle near Arthurs Lake Road, Constable Harley and the officer in charge of the Liawenee station deployed road spikes the next morning.
What followed was a five-hour manhunt involving about 50 police officers, a police helicopter, and an armoured truck.
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The car managed to travel another 25 kilometres with punctured tyres, before crashing while going down Poatina Hill.
It was then that one of the occupants began firing directly at Constable Harley’s car.
“My only thought was to put the car in reverse as quickly as possible,” he said.
Not only did Constable Harley escape injury, but he played an important role in subduing the armed offender, an achievement that was recognised at the 2018 Tasmania Police Medal and Awards Ceremony at Newnham on Tuesday.
He was awarded the Commissioner’s Certificate of Appreciation for his role in the ordeal.
While quick to play down the significance of the incident, Constable Harley welcomed the recognition.
“It’s always good to have your peers and senior members of the force appreciating the work you do,” he said.
“I was able to move on from it pretty quickly.
“It’s just what we do.”
Constable Harley was one 10 police officers recognised for their contribution to the apprehension of the violent armed offender in Poatina, with a ceremony also held in Hobart on Tuesday afternoon.
More than 260 current and retired police and DPFEM staff were given a combination of Commissioner’s Medal and Awards, National Medals and National Police Service Medals.
In paying tribute to recipients, Police Commissioner Darren Hine said the awards were issued to members who have demonstrated a consistently high standard of work performance.
“These awards are a chance for me to say thank you for the work that our police officers and state service employees do,” he said.