Detective Senior Constable Andrew Gibson was awarded a humanitarian overseas service medal for assisting New Zealand police in the aftermath of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.

His was one of 25 awards presented to local police in the ceremony at Lake Macquarie council chambers.

Senior Constable Gibson was with a team that spent two weeks in New Zealand.

But by the end of week two he put his hand up to stay for an extra fortnight.

Senior Constable Gibson was involved in search and rescue, protecting properties against looters, and advising the public about support services.

"It was quiet surreal seeing the destruction not just in the city but in the surrounding suburbs, which you didn't see on the news, where people had no power, water or sewage for a number of weeks," Senior Constable Gibson said.

He recalled feeling an after-shock running through the city about 10 days after the earthquake.

"I was walking through the CBD and I could see buildings wavering in the distance," he said.

"It was like a wave - you could see buildings shake as it approached, then it hit and kept on going.

"It felt like a freight train passed right by me," he said.

Lake Macquarie commander Superintendent Brett Greentree, who received a national medal at the service, said the command was proud of Mr Gibson.

"He assisted a lot of people, and a country, in a time of great need," Superintendent Greentree said.