The New Zealand Police Association, Te Aka Hāpai, today awarded an officer with the association’s Bravery Award.

The awards are for performing their duty above and beyond reasonable expectations, in this case saving lives during a family harm incident which quickly turned into a mass causality event that required exceptional skill and bravery.

Association president Steve Watt says the recipient of today’s award shows the value in applied and learned skill and exemplifies the definition of bravery. Despite being faced with an unknown set of potentially life-threatening circumstances the heroic choices made during this intense situation undoubtedly saved the lives of three of the occupants inside the address. 

“Our officers are ordinary people performing extraordinary acts every day. While many of us would run from danger police officers steer towards it and tackle it head on, this officer did just that despite inherent risk to himself and we are extremely honoured to be able to recognise this outstanding act of bravery.”

2026 Bravery Award citation: Constable David Cramp
Presented by Sir Wayne Shelford at the 91st Annual Conference, New Zealand Police Association, Te Aka Hāpai, October 15, 2026.

On the 14th of January 2026 Police responded to a family harm incident at Waitārere Beach, Horowhenua. The incident resulted in multiple gunshot victims and the death of the suspect who was known to Police. 

Constable Cramp and a fellow officer arrived at the address, observed what appeared to be a projectile-shaped hole in a window and immediately escalated the assessment of the situation.

Eventually a distressed nine-year-old girl opened the door. She was hysterical and unable to provide meaningful information about what had occurred. Constable Cramp recognised the immediacy of the threat and the potential for critically injured occupants inside. He entered without waiting for specialist resources. He and a fellow officer saw a pistol on a nearby table and located a man lying on the floor, bleeding heavily and unable to respond. He was soon identified as the suspect and despite first aid being rendered by Constable Cramp’s fellow officer, the man subsequently died at the scene. 

Constable Cramp undertook an armed clearance of the property.

As he moved through the house, he located multiple pools of blood and spent shell casings.

In one bedroom he found a 22-year-old man lying on a bed covered in blood.

In the next room he located a woman lying in bed with blood covering her head and pillow, and although seriously injured she was conscious and provided short responses.

In a third bedroom Constable Cramp located a 17-year-old male who was able to confirm he’d been shot. 

Having accounted for all known occupants Constable Cramp requested assistance and immediately transitioned to casualty assessment and treatment.

Drawing on his military experience in battlefield trauma management, Constable Cramp rapidly prioritised treatment for the critically injured victims.

This required:

• Carefully bandaging the woman’s head to control bleeding without applying excessive pressure as she suffered a fractured skull and significant intracranial injury.
• Constable Cramp identified from one of the male’s injuries that he had been shot in the face and meaningful first aid intervention was limited as the projectile entered through his mouth and exited at the base of his neck – injuries that were later assessed as near fatal.
• Constable Cramp identified two gunshot wounds to the chest of the second male. He quickly improvised chest seals using plastic bandage packaging. This victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his chest, arm, and abdomen as well as a projectile lodged in the floor of his mouth. He suffered broken ribs, lung lacerations and significant trauma to his spleen and kidneys.

In recommending Constable Cramp for the Bravery Award, the Palmerston North committee noted:

“Throughout the incident Constable Cramp demonstrated exceptional initiative, sound judgement and courage. He rapidly assessed the information available to him, recognised the immediacy of the threat and responded without hesitation.

His decision to enter the address, a clear and potentially active armed scene, locate all victims and immediately commence advanced trauma care under extreme circumstances reflects a remarkable level of professionalism and bravery.  

Constable Cramp accurately assessed life-threatening injuries, improvised when necessary and provided clear direction to arriving staff regarding ongoing treatment priorities.

His actions are considered to have been directly instrumental in preventing the deaths of the three surviving victims.

Constable Cramp’s conduct throughout this incident exemplifies outstanding bravery, decisive leadership, and an unwavering commitment to preserving life in the face of extraordinary danger.”

The committee also recognised other staff who contributed to the emergency response including Sergeant Nathan Hessell, Constables Matthew Wells and Ebubekir Avci and attending Palmerston North staff.