The efforts of police officers have been praised after they moved a car and performed CPR to keep a critically injured colleague alive.
The 28-year-old officer is in an induced coma in Royal Perth Hospital after being dragged beneath a car during an early morning arrest in the inner-eastern Perth suburb of Ascot.
Police were following a vehicle with allegedly stolen plates about 1am on Thursday when it came to a stop on Ascot Place.
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“The vehicle suddenly reversed while the constable tried to deal with the driver of the car,” Western Australia’s Police Commissioner Col Blanch said, updating the media on Thursday afternoon.
“He’s subsequently been pinned by that vehicle. His partner then had a desperate few minutes to not only put three suspects into custody inside that vehicle, but also try to save the life of his partner.”
Other officers from Belmont Police arrived soon after.
WA’s new Police Minister Paul Papalia told media they rushed to help.
“Our thoughts at the moment are with the officer but particularly I’m thinking of the officers that responded and assisted this officer, lifted the vehicle and commenced CPR in advance of the ambulance arriving,” Mr Papalia said.
“That is an incredibly confronting thing to have had to deal with and I’m thinking of them at the moment.”
The 28-year-old officer was administered CPR by his colleagues at the scene before being rushed to Royal Perth Hospital, where he remains in a critical condition.
Mr Blanch described it as “a very difficult day for police officers.”
“One of our bright, young, passionate, dedicated constables did not get to go home at the end of their shift tonight,” he said.
“Instead they’re in intensive care unit, surrounded by their loving family, with critical injuries.”
Three people are currently in custody, assisting with inquiries, but no charges have been laid.
WA Police Union president Paul Gale told ABC radio the officer had been with the force for two or three years.
“He’s in an induced coma based on the severe injuries he has, I believe to his chest, after being crushed by the vehicle and is breathing through a support breathing machine,” Mr Gale said, going on to slam those allegedly responsible.
“It’s despicable behaviour. It’s a complete disregard for another person’s life, let alone the fact that that person is a police officer who was out there trying to do their job and protect the community.”