Headshot! Turning a Negative Into a Positive
01/05/2016My partner Constable Sharnelle Cole, Sergeant Chris Mulhall and I, were ambushed and all shot multiple times by Nigel Parodi. Some of the challenges I would confront over the coming years were two rounds of facial reconstruction surgery, battling post-traumatic stress, and fighting a 10-year legal battle for criminal compensation.
A key turning point came in 2006 when Queensland Police Academy Sergeant Paul Trinder, asked me if I would mind speaking to his squad of recruits and pass on any lessons from the shooting, that may benefit these soon to be ‘first responder’ police officers. I agreed and spoke to a group about the shooting for the first time in my life. I played the audio of the shooting taking place, drew a diagram on a whiteboard to explain how events unfolded, spoke for an hour, and left the recruits with four lessons. The positive feedback on real life lessons from someone who had lived the experience, led to more requests to address police recruits. Word of my speaking began to spread within police circles. In 2010 I was asked to talk to police officers at Charleville, my first speaking engagement outside Brisbane. Then word of my speaking began to spread outside the police. In 2012 I received a request to speak to Energex employees, my first public speaking engagement.
In 2014 I met speaking coach Michael Alafaci, who introduced me to Professional Speakers Australia, where I learned of an amazing development opportunity, The Kerrie Nairn Scholarship for Public Speaking. I soon learned though that professionals already earning a full time living from speaking, were applying for the scholarship. I fell into a slump and thought, ‘What chance do I have, I’m just a copper.’ However, I had learned that feeling sorry for myself got me nowhere, only action got me somewhere. So drawing on a powerful line from an inspiring movie, ‘Get busy living or get busy dying‘, I got busy living! I picked myself up, put pen to paper and applied for the scholarship. And guess what, I learnt that I was more than just a copper, I was an emerging speaker, because Australia’s professional speakers—who gather once a year to award the prestigious Kerrie Nairn Scholarship for Public Speaking—selected me to be the 2015 scholar!
This year at the Professional Speakers Australia Summit held on the Gold Coast, I was requested to speak on the scholarship experience, prior to the announcement of the 2016 scholar, Chinmay Ananda (‘Congratulations mate, I look forward to supporting you on your amazing scholarship journey that has just commenced’). Today, I posted on YouTube this talk. I posted a short clip ‘In my very expensive trousers, there is a small hole…‘ and the full talk, ‘The Kerrie Nairn Scholarship Experience‘.
It has been wonderful with the support of my 81 year old mum Eileen and 84 year old dad Alan, some very special police colleagues, such as Inspector Dave Stevenson, Inspector Mark Harvey, Research Officer Neil Robson (… and many others), and Australia’s professional speakers, to turn every police officers’ worst nightmare, from a negative experience, into a positive one!
Thank you all.
GREENY
As part of the Kerrie Nairn Scholarship for Public Speaking, awarded to me earlier in the year by Professional Speakers Australia, a component of the scholarship is free attendance at three of Allan’s courses. But Allan goes further. Prior to my keynote for the PTSD Forum 2015, he offered to coach me to help make it a very special talk. Time was of the essence, so we used Skype for the coaching session. Allan had neglected to tell me that he was actually ill and had been hospitalised for pneumonia! Good to his word, from his hospitable bed, over Skype, he was able to help tailor my keynote, to make it a home run – I received a standing ovation. It was doubly special, as my 81 year old mother Eileen and 83 year old father Alan, who stood by me when all seemed hopeless, who supported me through all the torment, and who showed me what unconditional love was, were in the audience. Thank you Allan for going above and beyond.
After meeting Allan face to face for the strategy session to see how he could best assist me as a speaker, I sent a simple thank you text message from me, and mum and dad, who avidly consume all news regarding my speaking career. Allan texted back, ‘It is a joy to be invited to be part of your journey and to admire what you have already done. I look forward to assisting and working with you in living your dream.’ What an amazing man. Allan, thank you for support, wisdom and friendship at the beginning of my speaking career… and hang on for the amazing journey it will be 😉
Daryl has contemplated much out running, which he finds is his reflection time. One day he asked himself, with all the struggles, all the setbacks and when all seemed hopeless, what kept him going. He found one constant and he shares this, in the lesson he imparts in this interview.
You can listen to the interview and learn this valuable lesson here!
The 5th annual Queensland Police Sergeants’ and Commissioned Officers’ Combined Annual Mess function was held in the Premier’s Hall, Parliament House. The dinner commemorated Police Remembrance Day, a day special to every police officer, particularly the families of those officers how have made the ultimate sacrifice.
The list of the fallen
Order of proceedings
Seek PTSD help: twice-shot policeman
12/10/2015The article touches on what Daryl has learnt first hand, and knows is common for survivors of horrific trauma:
‘I literally thought I was going crazy so I didn’t tell people my thoughts,” he said.
He erected a wall around himself while experiencing anger, anxiety, depression and hyper-arousal as he tried to live a normal existence.
He even had suicidal thoughts but realised he couldn’t do that to his parents.
“I then did one of the most courageous things I have done in my life – I asked for help.”
Read the full article
Courage under fire
09/10/2015
Three of the four officers reunited for Group Bravery Citation. Daryl, the first officer shot, sustaining a bullet to his face and then shoulder, the third injured officer Chris, hit in the arm and lower back, and Brett, the bravest of the brave. Brett was working by himself as the Ferny Grove Shift Supervisor. He was the first officer to arrive on the scene, and was expecting to find at least one dead colleague – this was not the case. All officers miraculously survived. Learn in the article how the officers banned together, as well as, the other brave police among the Australian Bravery Decorations honours.
Photo: From the left, Chris, Brett and Daryl
It was very satisfying to share this letter with his parents, Alan and Eileen Green, who:
🙂 Stood by him when all seemed hopeless
🙂 Supported him through all the physical & mental torment
🙂 Showed him what unconditional love is
Daryl with his parents, Alan and Eileen, after surgery in 2003
Thank you Premier Palaszczuk to help Daryl bring, 15 years after the shooting, a small piece of good news to his loving parents.
Kerrie Nairn Scholarship
10/09/2015Daryl is the 2015 Kerrie Nairn Scholar. The Scholarship is awarded by the Professional Speakers Australia to assist the development of an emerging speaker to become an outstanding professional leader.
Daryl had the good fortune on 29 July 2015, to have dinner with Cam Calkoen.
Daryl was introduced to Cam through fellow Professional Speakers Australia member and speaking strategist expert, Maria Carlton – a demonstration in the power of networking!
Cam is a professional New Zealand speaker who is now making inroads in the USA. Cam’s amazing story is he went from doubting that he would ever be able to walk, to massively exceeding these expectations through sport, adventure and inspirational speaking. His signature message is ‘Awesome’. With a love of running, Cam and Daryl immediately hit it off, as running played and still does to this day, a huge part in Daryl’s coping with the shooting and Post Traumatic Stress.
Cam was speaking in Brisbane to a real estate conference at St Lucia and they met up afterwards at the Bavarian Beir Café, overlooking the Brisbane River and Story Bridge.
As Daryl stated his appetite with Bier (yes, that’s the German way of spelling it), a pretzel and pork belly, they discussed the professional speaking business. They talked of the good stuff – travel, beautiful locations, and amazing people, but also the downside – jet lag, time away from family, and hotel and airline food. However, they agreed, the downside pales in comparison to the high of imparting valuable knowledge, messages and lessons through stories, and inspiring people to bigger and better things.
What struck Daryl most about Cam was, he is a stellar example of not looking at barriers, but blowing past them by giving your utmost to what you want to achieve.
Cam is back to Australia, speaking on the Gold Coast in the next couple of months and Daryl will be seeing him in action.
After talking to Cam over dinner for a couple of hours, Daryl knows, if you are looking for an inspiring and motivational speaker, look no further than Cam.
The award was officially announced and published on the Governor-General’s website (www.gg.gov.au) on 19 August 2015.
The announcement stated:
GROUP BRAVERY CITATION
Awardees comprise of members of Queensland Police who were ambushed and fired upon while attending a neighbourhood dispute at West Chermside, Queensland on 1 May 2000.
Senior Sergeant Daryl Elliott GREEN
Senior Constable Sharnelle Patricia HARRIS
Sergeant Christopher John MULHALL
Sergeant Brett Andrew PRICE
In the early hours of 1 May 2000, four members of the Queensland Police Force were involved in a police shooting in West Chermside, Queensland.
Three police officers were seated inside a police vehicle at Hanbury Street, West Chermside with the passenger doors open when an offender fired a series of shots into the car, wounding all three officers before threatening to kill them. Despite suffering serious wounds one officer managed to get out of the car, draw his service revolver, and provide a line of protection for his wounded colleagues. Suffering similar wounds, another police officer used the radio to alert Police Communications of the incident. A fourth officer driving nearby heard the call for assistance and drove to the scene. He dragged the officers behind his vehicle for cover, scanned the area for the offender, and provided situation reports by radio until other police and ambulance personnel arrived. Following the shooting, the offender fled to nearby bushland and was later found deceased.
For their actions, the recipients are recognised by the award of the Group Bravery Citation.
Senior Sergeant Daryl Elliott GREEN
Queensland Police Senior Constable Sharnelle Patricia HARRIS
Queensland Police Sergeant Christopher John MULHALL
Queensland Police Sergeant
Brett Andrew PRICE Queensland Police
An Investiture Ceremony will take place in early 2016 when Daryl and his colleagues will be presented with the insignia of the award.
DARYL, CHRIS AND BRETT’S CHANNEL 9 NEWS INTERVIEW IN RELATION TO THE AWARD:
