By Tyler Wright
Officer in Charge at Monbulk Police Station, Luke Schroder, was “surprised” when he heard he had been awarded Victoria Police’s Medal for Courage several months after an event that shook the town.
“I don’t think it’s anything that anybody else wouldn’t have done, I’m pretty sure most of us would have done the same in [those] circumstances,” Sergeant Schroder said.
Sgt Schroder is referring to the catastrophic blaze which erupted on 28 June 2020, resulting in the death of beloved 96 year old Jacoba Vegt.
“I was just finishing up work, looking at the back door where I could hear and see a large fire over the back fence of the police station… so I ran around knowing there was an old lady who lived there,” Sgt Schroder said.
“The house was already fully engulfed and the flames were through the roof so I ran around, kicked a few doors in with the help of somebody else who was passing by…we managed to clear most of the rooms but couldn’t get into the kitchen area, it was too intense.”
The loss of this Monbulk great-grandmother did not just reach the sergeant on a professional level but a personal one, too.
“We grew up with that family…I used to see her walking past the police station every day, so that was a bit hard,” he said.
The Victorian Police Medal for Courage is awarded to an employee who has performed an ‘act of courage in fulfillment of their duties in dangerous and volatile operational circumstances,’ and it was a Detective Sergeant from the Arson Squad who nominated the hills local.
“I was a little surprised, I’ll admit, because I didn’t think it was medal worthy, but looking back on it, running into a burning house isn’t a natural thing to do,” he said.
Devoting the past 19 years to the police force, the policeman was able to attend the ceremony with his parents and grandfather who he said were “proud as punch” to attend and witness the achievement.
Award recipients were honoured at the Victoria Police Academy in Glen Waverley on Thursday 19 May, including Leading Senior Constable Andrew Trace from Knox Highway Patrol.
Recipients received both a medal and a certificate in acknowledgment of their efforts.
“I love the town, and I naturally want to do as much as I can for the town,” Sgt Schroder said.
