Attorney General presents Inaugural Prison Service Bravery Service Awards

8/6/00
Prison officers who have shown exceptional bravery in the line of duty were given long overdue public recognition today at the inaugural Prison Service Bravery Awards.
Two of the highest awards - the Bravery Medal - were presented for outstanding acts of bravery during the last 18 years.
Awards were presented to 115 prison staff from throughout the State for acts of bravery dating back to 1982.
Many of the award recipients were honoured for their heroic efforts during the Christmas Day riot at Casuarina Prison in 1998.
Four prison officers were recognised for their role in the 1988 Fremantle Prison riot.
Attorney General Peter Foss said the awards highlighted the actions of outstanding men and women who had performed exceptionally under extraordinarily difficult circumstances.
"Day after day these officers protect the Western Australian community and provide for the care and well being of prisoners," Mr Foss said.
"Most of us will go through our working lives without ever being called upon to show extraordinary bravery, but the prison environment is a volatile one and these men and women had both the opportunity and the personal fortitude to earn these prestigious awards.
"Public recognition and thanks for these exceptional acts of bravery is long overdue."
During the ceremony at Government House Mr Foss presented two Bravery Medals - the highest and most prestigious of all distinctions - one to Assistant Superintendent Training and Specialist Services, Jim Fisher, and the other to Officer Anthony Daniels from Albany Regional Prison.
Officer Daniels was recognised for demonstrating an exceptional level of commitment and bravery when two prisoners viciously attacked him and demanded the keys to a rubbish truck as part of their escape plan in March 1994. Already stabbed four times, Mr Daniels refused to give in to the prisoners and single-handedly held them at bay until back-up arrived.
His brave actions prevented the prisoners from taking control of the vehicle and driving it through the perimeter fence, which would have compromised the security of the entire prison.
Mr Fisher was awarded his medal for leading a small group of Emergency Support Group officers and Casuarina Prison officers to confront more than 100 prisoners armed with bricks, pieces of masonry, wooden stakes and metal bars, in a valiant attempt to regain control in one of the State's worst prison riots on Christmas Day, 1998.
Without protective gear and armed with only a baton, Mr Fisher led the first charge against the prisoners in an effort to rescue fellow officers trapped in accommodation units and gain control of the situation.
Eleven other officers from Casuarina, who took part in a further bid to break up the large group of rioting prisoners, were presented with Meritorious Service Medals.

Another four officers, who displayed outstanding bravery during the Fremantle Prison riot of January 1988, were also presented Meritorious Service Medals. Despite being badly burnt by scalding tea and attacked with lengths of timber, these officers put their personal safety aside to bring the chaos under control and assist injured colleagues.
A further 30 Certificates of Commendation and 69 Director General's Letters of Commendation were presented to officers who had demonstrated outstanding work under hazardous circumstances or had made a significant individual contribution. These recipients had been involved in incidents including the Casuarina Prison riot, Roebourne's Cyclone John and attacks from violent prisoners.
The Attorney General said the efforts of all award nominees were inspirational and deserved praise and community admiration.
Media contact: Danielle van Kampen 9321 2222