Performing CPR to keep gravely ill community members alive, restraining a knife wielding maniac, overpowering violent drug-affected offenders and stopping a woman basher in the middle of a savage attack.
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These were just some of the reasons police officers from across the Orana-Mid Western Police District received recognition at an awards ceremony in Dubbo on Monday.
For loyal service and an unwavering commitment to protecting the community, Senior Constable Michael Wiegold was among those officers honoured.
The Senior Constable's father Ron, who was a police officer from 1955 to 1963, said he was "very proud" of his son's work.
"He always used to wear my cap and say 'I'll be a policeman daddy'," Ron recalled.
Senior Constable Wiegold said he joined the force after initially working as a welder, TAFE teacher and supervisor at the Fletchers abattoir.
"I was 39 when I went in," he said.
In the 17 years since he joined the force, Senior Constable Wiegold has performed a variety of roles including in rural crime and licensing teams. He was also part of the inaugural western region domestic violence high risk team established in 2017.
Now a supervisor in Narromine, the Senior Constable said dealing with child victims of crime was the hardest part of his job.
"Kids, infants, babies.. that's the hardest part, that's when it hits home especially when you've got kids of your own," he said.
Despite the often frightening situations police find themselves in, the needs of the community at-large always appear to trump those of individuals tasked with enforcing the law.
"Your mind just concentrates on who's there and you've gotta get a job done. We have to do as much as we can to protect the community," Senior Constable Wiegold said.
The Senior Constable and his dad Ron said when those community members and the police who have helped them reconnect, it was always a special experience.
"My greatest thing that I can recall is I attended an accident in West Wyalong in 1962 and as a result of the action at a T-intersection a little girl went through the window and severed her nose off," the former cop said.
"I happened to pick up this little bit of skin with a couple of meat ants on it."
After Ron gave his find to to a doctor, the girl's nose was reattached.
A few years ago Ron was back in West Wyalong, where he ran into a familiar face.
"I walked into the paper shop to do my lotto and you wouldn't believe it this little girl walked up to me and I said to her 'I know you... would you believe I'm the policeman that found your nose'," Ron said.
"I was so proud, she gave me a hug and a kiss and she didn't even charge me for my paper."
