About Us
Our story.
It was a day like any other in downtown Auckland, until everything changed in a single, heart-stopping moment. As a frontline constable in the New Zealand Police and tactical operator in the Armed Offender Squad, I was no stranger to high-risk situations. But on July 20, 2023, during an active armed offender incident at Commercial Bay, my life took a sharp turn. I was shot in the side of my head by the offender, the bullet striking my helmet. I walked away with a mild concussion, a narrow escape from what could have been a far worse outcome.
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Ultimately, my wife told me "it's time to get a new job and go down a safer path, for our family". I could feel her relief at the thought, but I wasn’t ready to fully walk away from what I was trained and loved to do. Instead, I chose to channel my skills, knowledge, and experience in a way that could help others stay prepared, protected, and resilient in the face of danger and in confrontational situations. And so, ResponseRise was born.
Creating ResponseRise gave me the chance to channel my experience into a new mission: bringing the operational expertise I gained from managing incidents in the Police, along with my skills in coaching frontline Police Officers in tactical communication, de-escalation, situational awareness, and Police tactics across the board, to the private and civilian sector.
With the ultimate goal of keeping our people safe no matter the environment.
I want to continue expanding ResponseRise’s reach, providing essential training and support to more organisations, businesses, workplaces, and individuals across New Zealand and Australia. I’m focused on developing innovative programs that not only strengthen situational awareness and preparedness but also foster a culture of safety and resilience in the face of today’s unique challenges. By empowering people with the skills and confidence to manage situations, I hope to make a meaningful impact, helping them feel safer and more secure no matter what comes their way.