It was duty with a difference when retired Bay of Plenty senior constable Deane O'Connor reported to Government House on Tuesday.

Deane was one of seven officers who were invested by Governor General Dame Patsy Reddy for their heroic actions in saving lives or for their initiatives and service to youth and the community.

During an investiture ceremony held in Auckland earlier this month, Deane was presented with a New Zealand Bravery Medals for saving the life of Ashley Donkersley who had been a passenger in a van which was rammed off the Maungatapu Causeway bridge in August 2013.

The crash happened after a vehicle crossed the centreline and collided with the van on the bridge, sending it through the railings and five metres down into the waters of the Rangataua Bay. Tragically, the van's driver Gregory Mark Woledge was killed in the crash.

Ashely, who was a passenger in the van, managed to escape the vehicle but had been struggling in the water.

Deane was the first police officer on the scene, and when he spotted Ashley he jumped into the icy cold water, swam out and towed him for 40 minutes to safety. Both were later treated for hypothermia.

At Wednesday's investiture ceremony in Wellington, two Waikato police dog handlers, Senior Constable Blair Spalding and Constable Ben Turner, were also presented with the New Zealand Bravery Decoration.

Blair and Ben's citation notes they acted with exceptional bravery in a situation of danger when they overpowered an armed gunman in a busy central Hamilton street, preventing risk to others.

The two officers, along with colleagues tried to stop the man from driving into the city. The offender fled his van in a supermarket carpark and attempted to take at gunpoint an elderly woman's car.

During the struggle to overpower the offender his loaded shotgun went off, causing pellet wounds to Blair and the offender.

Police Commissioner Mike Bush says the Investitures are a very proud moment for the recipients, their families and for police.

Standing, from left: Constable Ben Turner NZBD, senior constable Blair Spalding NZBD, Police Commissioner Mike Bush, sergeant Ryan Lilleby NZBM, and Sergeant Chris McDowell NZBM. Seated, from left: sergeant Su Robinson MNZM, senior constable Sue Guy MNZM, and Senior Constable (retired) Deane O'Connor NZDM.