Bashed police officer Samantha now a picture of health
Sergeant Samantha Barlow with her husband Inspector Laurence Barlow.
DYLAN WELCH
January 13, 2010 - 11:54AM
She was bashed almost to death, but today Kings Cross police officer Samantha Barlow stood in front of her workplace, a picture of health, and thanked the people who saved her life.
Sergeant Barlow was attacked while walking to work in May last year. Her skull was shattered, her hand was crushed and she almost died from blood loss and internal injuries.
But eight months later Sergeant Barlow stood in front of Kings Cross police station and thanked the ambulance officers, nurses and doctors who saved her life.
Acting Police Commissioner Dave Owens and Kings Cross Commander, Superintendent Tony Crandell, awarded emergency staff who were involved in Sergeant Barlow's rescue and recuperation with police force certificates of appreciation.
"Today is about thanking the emergency workers, the ambulance workers that all work out Paddington ambulance station ... also the medical staff, the doctors and nurses at St Vincent's in the intensive care unit," Superintendent Crandell said.
"We sincerely say thank you for saving our colleague."
With her police officer husband, Inspector Laurence Barlow, and her two young children standing next to her, Sergeant Barlow also thanked emergency staff.
"Because of their amazing work ... on the 13th of May last year, I'm able to stand here today and thank them," Sergeant Barlow said. "Thank you very much."
Her recovery was going "full speed ahead" and, while she couldn't say when she expected to be back at work, she confirmed that, when she did, it would be back at the Cross.
"I'm still attached back to Kings Cross. I'm sure my doctors wouldn't like that, but I love the place," she said.
While she was still enduring numerous medical appointments every week, she had her hopes set on a full recovery, she said.
"You just want to get back to what you were ... I've got a lovely family and two small children and I need to be fit and healthy for them and I just want to get back to being normal and get on with life."
Wollongong man, Roderick Holohan, 39, has been charged with attempted murder and robbery over the attack.'
Kings Cross police officer Samantha Barlow
Tough woman! And eager to get back into the thick of things at The Cross (Sydney's main red-light-druggie district).
What I want to ask in the context of US law enforcement is this:
Can US LEOs conceal carry outside work? I'm just thinking had she been able to do this (and able to use a weapon legally in self-defence) this attack would most likely not have happened at all.
From memory, she was attacked out of the blue while walking...no apparent motive.
Police here are only exempt from the Firearms Act is the course of their duties - they hold no firearms licences personally (unless they are 'civillian' members of gun clubs in their private lives; which of course does not allow any defence capabilities).
Just wondered what the laws allowed in the US.
[Hmm, just had a thought. If this should more properly be in Legal/Politics, mods please move
]
LEO back after bashing
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