Friday, 28 September 2018 - 3:15pm

We remember

2 min read

News article photos (16 items)

rem sal
rem comm
rem wreath
rem salute
rem whang names
rem whang hill
rem akl
rem akl choir
rem akl read
rem akl dogs
rem palmy
rem cant bridge
rem cant march
rem cant price
rem inv bash
rem inv lamb

The Police family gathered at Remembrance Day ceremonies around New Zealand today to acknowledge those we have lost.

At the national service at The Royal New Zealand Police College, and at ceremonies in every police district, the 32 officers slain since 1886, other staff who died as a result of their duties, and serving and former staff who have died in the past year were remembered.

At the RNZPC, Commissioner Mike Bush said Remembrance Day was the most poignant day on the Police calendar.

“Police is a family, and like all families, we grieve for those we have known and loved,” he said.

For the first time this year, the ceremony included the names of 14 police officers who died in the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic which swept the world at the end of the First World War.

Our people, as always, were on the front line - exposed to the sick, dying and deceased; serving as doctors, nurses and funeral directors throughout the crisis,” said Commissioner Bush.

“Those 14 names have been added to the names of Police staff who have died as a result of their duties - and we will continue to honour them as we honour all our fallen colleagues.”

Police Minister Stuart Nash spoke of the shock felt in his home city Napier and the outpouring of grief at the murder in 2009 of Senior Constable Len Snee – “a man who epitomised the Police values.

“It reminded us all of the love and respect that police are held in in our communities but also the dangers our officers face every single day in the line of duty, keeping us safe and preventing crime.”

Outside, Commissioner Bush, Minister Nash and Deputy Commissioner Mike Clement laid wreaths at the Memorial Wall, after which members of Recruit Wing 319, currently in training at the RNZPC, performed the Police haka in tribute.

The national service was livestreamed through the New Zealand Police Museum Facebook page - click here to see the video.

Police Remembrance Day is observed across Australasia and the Pacific on 29 September – the feast day of the Archangel Michael, patron saint of police - or the nearest business day.

Many thanks to the photographers and others - from Northland to Southland - who contributed to this report.