Constable Alexandra Dwyer had only been a cop for two years when she found herself trapped in a caravan with a drug-affected woman basher.
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She and her colleague Senior Sergeant Michael Smith caught the perpetrator in the middle of a vicious attack on a woman in Narromine last year.
"When we turned up it was quite confronting because the man was straddled over his partner and striking some very heavy blows to her face," the Senior Sergeant said.
"I really hate to think what would have happened to her had we not got there and intervened at the time we did," he said.
"We've tried to restrain him and he's then struck Constable Dwyer in the face and lashed out at me."
Because they were stuck in a confined space, the cops had to use their own strength to protect the victim and stop the attacker.
"We couldn't swing a baton or draw a taser and it was too dangerous to use the capsicum spray so we just had to resort to what's called 'weaponless control' to restrain and subdue him," the Senior Sergeant said.
At a recent awards event in Dubbo, the officers were recognised for the way they handled the incident.
"Looking back and realising that you have actually helped someone...in these situations is definitely the best part of the job," Constable Dwyer said.
After the offender assaulted the Constable, she told the Daily Liberal she was taken to Dubbo Hospital for treatment.
Her "very proud" dad Russell travelled to Dubbo from Mudgee for the awards event on Monday.
"Naturally as a father you worry about your daughter, absolutely all the time but it's her chosen career so we have to give her all the backing that she requires and any help that she requires," Mr Dwyer said.
"If she needs to know she knows that we're there for her all the time," he said. "I've always told her that if she ever needs any help, to not worry about getting help and make sure she does get help."
Constable Dwyer and Senior Sergeant Smith, who is now based at Wellington, said good teamwork was critical to their success in nabbing the Narromine offender.
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"You have all sorts of training but when you see something quite confronting in front of you you've just got to follow your instincts to resolve the situation," Sergeant Smith said.
"It comes down to sensible decision-making, remembering your powers and what your responsibilities are and adapting that to the situation."
At the awards event, Sergeant Smith was also recognised for his successful response to another difficult incident earlier this year in Narromine.
While investigating a suspected domestic incident, Sergeant Smith was punched in the face and then had his right thumb degloved by the drug-affected offender.
"That was again quite a difficult and challenging circumstance, particularly when you know that your closest back-up is at least 25 minutes away and it's just you and your partner against a violent offender," Sergeant Smith said.
"Once I was bitten there was an extreme level of pain and I basically had to restrain him with one hand and had to rely a lot on Constable Geordie Yule to bring him under control.
"Team work is everything because it's a job you can't do on your own and you rely heavily on your partner to step up and play their part.
"I was fortunate in both instances that the officers didn't take a backward step and were prepared to get in and do whatever it took to bring the situation under control.
"Given I was working with two junior officers on both occasions it a credit to them."
