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Elisabeth Pergoleto always knew she wanted to wear the uniform. Growing up, she admired the police officers in her community – their presence, their purpose, their quiet strength. She imagined one day being one of them.
But what she didn’t imagine was that just months into her dream career, she would be thrown into a situation no training could fully prepare her for – a domestic violence callout that would nearly cost her the full use of her hand and ultimately earn her one of the highest honours in the force.
Probationary Constable (PC) Pergoleto and her partner Constable Nathan Cranwell were awarded Police Bravery Medals in recognition of their composure and courage under extreme risk during a December 2024 callout – an incident that left PC Pergoleto with a nearly severed thumb. At the time, she had only been on the job for nine months, having graduated earlier that year from the South Australia Police Academy.
Walking towards danger
She and Constable Cranwell were dispatched to a domestic violence incident in Port Augusta, unaware of the life-threatening danger that awaited them. When they arrived at the scene, it was initially unclear where the situation was unfolding. They soon identified a unit at the address, and Constable Cranwell moved to secure the entrance, deploying his OC spray.
PC Pergoleto continued towards the unit.
"As I approached, I saw two men struggling – one of them was the offender," she said.
She instinctively drew her OC spray but quickly switched to her taser. In that split second, the offender charged at her, holding what looked like a metal pole. She managed to deploy her taser before feeling a blow to her chest – and then the pain in her hand.
"I looked down and saw blood. I could see bone," PC Pergoleto said.
The offender was holding a samurai sword. Her thumb had been nearly severed.
"I didn’t realise how bad it was until afterward; I could see Nathan was yelling at the offender, but I could not hear anything. It was like everything had gone silent," she said.
Constable Cranwell acted quickly to try and de-escalate the situation.
"I remember pleading with him to put the sword down, because I was fearful that he was going to force me to take his life," he said.
Standing behind the offender, with firearm raised, PC Pergoleto saw
him drop the sword. Moments later, a police fleet arrived, driven by Constable Liam Luke. Constable Cranwell forced the offender to the ground and handcuffed him.
Despite the injury, PC Pergoleto maintained her composure until back up arrived.
"I was scared," she admits.
"I knew I was in significant danger, but I wasn’t thinking about my own life. I was focused on doing what we had to do to bring the situation under control."
A deep sense of gratitude
PC Pergoleto remains deeply grateful to both men.
"I am so thankful for Nathan. He challenged a violent offender, who was presenting an immediate risk to his own safety. His response and judgement allowed the offender to be arrested as safely as possible," she said.
Constable Luke provided steady support in the difficult hours that followed.
"Liam stayed with me, keeping me calm until I went into surgery. In one of the most traumatic moments in my life, I was not left to face it alone," PC Pergoleto said.
Another officer, Senior Constable First Class Glen Robbins, played a critical role in her survival.
"When he arrived, he gave me his belt for a tourniquet for my arm. When SA Ambulance Service were delayed, Glen drove me urgently to hospital. Without Glen’s quick thinking, I do not believe I would be here today," PC Pergoleto said.
"It was only after the situation was in hand and the offender arrested that the reality started to set in – and I felt myself go into shock."
PC Pergoleto was later airlifted to Royal Adelaide Hospital where surgeons were able to reattach her thumb.
The next few months were a haze of pain, physiotherapy, and slow, stubborn recovery.
"I returned to light duties in mid-February," she said.
"But regaining strength and dexterity in my arm and hand has taken much longer."
The road to healing – both physical and psychological – has been long.
"My physical recovery is still ongoing," PC Pergoleto said.
"It will continue for some time. But from the start, I focused on being consistent with my rehabilitation, with the goal of returning to operational duties."
A triumphant return
That milestone was reached in May this year, when PC Pergoleto was cleared to return to full operational duties.
"That was a big moment," she said.
"Not just physically, but emotionally."
The coura
geous officer credits the unwavering support of her team and the broader SAPOL community for helping her through.
"There wasn’t a day that went by where I didn’t receive a message, a phone call, or a visit to check on my spirits and keep me company," she said.
"That camaraderie – it’s what gets you through."
PC Pergoleto remembers vividly the wave of officers who arrived at the scene the morning of the incident.
"They weren’t just from general patrols – they came from everywhere. That kind of response showed just how strong the bond is between officers. It’s something that really reveals itself in times of crisis," she said.
We were doing our job
Constable Cranwell, too, remembers the fear.
"I most definitely feared this man was going to take my life," he said.
"He made an attempt on my partner, and I knew without a doubt we had to act."
Constable Cranwell feels honoured to receive the Police Bravery Medal.
"In all honesty, I was just doing my job – and trying to make sure my partner got home safely. I am incredibly honoured to receive this medal and stand beside Lis after such a dark day in our careers," he said.
"Receiving this medal does stir up emotions, pride of course, but it also brings back memories of the incident we went through."
Constable Cranwell said the incident had changed his approach to policing.
"I now know that things can escalate from one to 1000 in a moment. And now having seen what one of the outcomes can be, I am more hypersensitive and hypervigilant," he said.
Despite the trauma, PC Pergoleto said the experience hadn’t altered her belief in her profession – nor her determination to serve. If anything, it had deepened it.
"When I applied to become a police officer, I knew the job could be dangerous and unpredictable," she said.
"But I still wanted to be part of the incredible role officers play within our community.
"It’s been a good reminder that any incident can present significant risks, and that it’s important to stay focused and vigilant.
"But if I were faced with the same set of circumstances, I cannot see myself responding any differently.”
This article was written by Sonja Viduka and first appeared in SAPOL's Blueprint Magazine. It has been reproduced here with permission.
